University’s COVID-19 response highlights value of local manufacturing

As part of its contribution to government efforts to fight COVID-19, South Africa’s Central University of Technology has established a ZAR1 million (US$55,000) research and innovation grant to boost its development of much-needed medical devices, healthcare supplies and equipment.

According to Daniel Maritz, CUT communications and marketing director: “CUT has set aside ZAR1 million as a seed fund to start the project while we are garnering support from business and industry to produce more medical devices that are greatly needed by our communities.”

Collaborating with national and provincial departments, business and industry, as well as other universities, particularly the University of the Free State, North-West University and Vaal University of Technology, CUT will use the fund “for production of personal protective equipment, and our focus is more on non-invasive ventilation solutions rather than full mechanical ventilators”, Maritz told University World News.

Considering a spike in infections in South Africa is expected in the coming weeks, the seed fund has given the various university units a head start in their research and development while CUT negotiates with business, industry as well as the Industrial Development Corporation for further funding from the Department of Trade and Industry.

Currently, CUT’s Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM), Product Development Technology Station (PDTS), Centre on Quality of Health and Living and CUT Innovation Services are involved with government in different processes related to challenges associated with the disease.

Solutions for an African reality

CUT’s PDTS Medical Device Unit, which aims to create novel medical devices that will address specific clinical challenges within Africa rather than simply recreate imported medical devices, has been working on creating ventilator parts and non-invasive ventilation solutions so that South Africa does not have to look further afield for these when the need arises and ventilators are in high demand at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa.

Alfred Ngowi, deputy vice-chancellor of research, innovation and engagement, said the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for the country to be able to manufacture its own products as countries around the world scramble to access the limited resources available.

“Local production means South Africa will not have to search global markets for products like ventilators,” he said. “It will have the capacity to manufacture its own products to address not only the current crisis but future health crises as well.”

According to CUT, the PDTS is equipped with skills and equipment – both of which are essential to responding rapidly to government’s needs. Both the CRPM and PDTS have identified the pressing needs of hospitals in the Free State and around the country and are ramping up the development of parts as well as medical devices.

For example, teams are looking at reverse-engineering (reproducing products after a detailed examination of its construction and composition) existing ventilator valves and manufacturing them. Several other hospital items like connectors, splitters and mouthpieces or masks are also being developed.

Two pressing problems

The CUT units have identified two pressing problems that have arisen from the COVID-19 outbreak – the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital staff stationed in the ‘hot zones’ and the need for non-invasive ventilation masks or helmets that provide patients with positive pressure and reduce the spread of the virus.

From 25 March this year, the PDTS has been designing and developing a reusable mask for healthcare workers. The PDTS has also been working on producing a cost-effective method of making a non-invasive ventilation helmet. This project could drastically improve the condition of patients, reducing the need for conventional ventilators and providing safer working conditions for health workers. Once the prototypes – expected to be completed in the second week of April – are ready, manufacturing can begin immediately.

Aside from equipment design and manufacturing, CUT Innovation Services and the Centre for Applied Food Security and Biotechnology (a CUT unit that specialises in research around food security and biotechnology) are collaborating with industry in the production of hand sanitisers for the Free State Department of Education.

Maritz said the sanitisers are destined for the most vulnerable communities through organisations and institutions such as hospices, clinics and hospitals in the Free State and other parts of South Africa.

“Plans are in place to have additional stock in order to widen the distribution of these items to other parts of the province. There is a dire need to supply taxi ranks, but this matter is still under discussion with government,” said Maritz.

As needs evolve and requirements change, CUT is currently participating in a number of active research discussion groups, which connect virtually. They consult on matters like medical supplies, rapid manufacturing, ventilator development and more. The focus is on approaches for urgent product development, the assessment of designs and the manufacture of products (valves, connectors etc) needed to fight COVID-19 in hospitals and medical facilities.

Looking ahead

Ngowi said a positive spinoff of the coronavirus is that it forces South Africa to acknowledge that manufacturing is important.

“We should not succumb to obtaining products overseas because they are cheap. By developing our own capacity to manufacture products, we will be in a better position to avert crises like these in the future.”

Maritz added: “Coronavirus challenges us all to think about our actions, thoughts, practices and contributions that we can make for the greater good of our communities. Of great challenge now is the supply-chain processes that are under enormous pressure globally and imports that are relatively limited as overseas suppliers are currently manufacturing and distributing their stock in their own countries affected by the virus.

“The current global shortage of ventilators and related medical equipment is a wake-up call for us to develop and enhance the manufacturing capability of the Free State region and the nation as a whole.”

Dr Anshu Padayachee, CEO of the South African Technology Network, which represents all universities of technology, said the consortia and its research clusters are “fully committed to assisting government with technological solutions to ensure that the health sector is supported in its endeavour to flatten the curve of infections”.

She said there are other clusters looking at food security, communication and awareness-raising strategies to contain the spread of the virus. “A massive challenge for our country will be to ensure that we find solutions for the predicted rise in unemployment after the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.