UKZN Medical Student Develops Revolutionary iRenal ART Mobile Application

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Final-year UKZN Medical student, Mr Rashae Vallabh, has developed a ground-breaking mobile application called iRenal ART, which is designed to make renal monitoring of patients on tenofovir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) ‘as easy and automated as it should be.’

During his rural medicine rotation at Emmaus Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, Vallabh was struck not just by the beauty of the Drakensberg Mountains but by something far less scenic - missed opportunities to detect renal impairment early in patients on tenofovir-based ART. ‘It was not due to a lack of knowledge. The guidelines were clear, but in a setting overwhelmed by patient load, understaffing, and paper-based systems, theory often collapses under the weight of reality,’ Vallabh explained.

This gave birth to iRenal ART. The app calculates whether a patient’s Urea and Electrolytes (U&E) test is due, based on ART initiation, the last U&E and current dates. It follows the national revised 2023 ART guidelines, and in seconds, it delivers a clear answer, saving time and reducing risk. ‘No more flipping through files, no more guesswork, and no more harm disguised as delay. In a resource-limited setting, this is not a convenience. It is a clinical safety net,’ Vallabh said.

iRenal ART is built to operate offline after the initial download, which makes it perfect for rural settings, as network and service quality are recurrent problems. Nurses and interns have begun using the app informally at various hospitals across KwaZulu-Natal, and the feedback has been electric.

Said Vallabh: ‘The app does not just answer a question; it fills a gap. iRenal ART is now the prototype for a broader campaign we are developing: The iRenal Campaign (“I know my renal function”), which aims to bridge digital health, policy adherence, and equity in HIV care across rural South Africa.’

Vallabh’s academic journey has taken him from the clinical wards to the editing timeline - from podcast mics to project whiteboards. He served as Vice-President of the Physicians Society and Hospital Coordinator for the vacation hospital experience programme which falls under the Physicians Society.

Vallabh said he is driven by the urge to solve problems where they matter most: ‘on the ground, in rural hospitals, where innovation is not a luxury but a necessity.’

Vallabh gyms to stay grounded and video edits to stay sharp. ‘I watch movies and listen to music the way some people study philosophy,’ he said.

(Tap this link for the promotional video for the iRenal ART application.)

Vallabh said: ‘Of course, no project of value is built alone. I am deeply grateful to my sister, Ms Saiyuri Vallabh, a first-year Medical student who gave the app its clean, intuitive look and interface. She created a face and identity to a code despite being busy with exam preparations. My parents, who generously paid for my Google Play Developer Licence, believed in my innovative ideas long before they manifested. My family, the emotional scaffolding behind everything I do, made this possible.’

‘Academically, I was fortunate to be supervised by Dr Mampho Mochaoa and Professor Bernhard Gaede, both of whom provided the necessary mentorship for our Quality Improvement Project, which brought clinical relevance into sharp focus. Special thanks to Dr Keshena Naidoo and the late Dr Surendra Sirkar, may he rest in peace, who reshaped my thinking through my experience in family medicine. Before them, I observed. After them, I act.’

‘One might say the real disease in medicine is a “lack of inertia”. We observe pathology but hesitate to act unless the textbook tells us it is urgent. But action, like adrenaline, works best when delivered in time. Some people diagnose problems, others do something about them. I chose the latter,’ Vallabh said.

He said the application was still under development to include new features. ‘We are also looking for developers to help take this application to the next level. This is real impact, scripted not in a final draft, but in ‘patient charts and community trust.’

Words: Lunga Memela

Photograph: Supplied