​​​Improved vaccine carrier technology can play a key role in ensuring individuals have access to better healthcare.

This is the intended goal of a group of researchers at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Engineering and Impact Licensing Initiative, a Belgium based non-profit organisation, who will collaborate on a project that will focus on the acceleration of the innovation of vaccine carrier (devices used to transport vaccines) technology.

On 7 April 2022, the University, represented by Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, signed an agreement with Impact Licensing Initiative, represented by Mr Johan Moyersoen. This organisation, which is funded by the Flemish government, aims to bring technologies into societal markets in a scalable and economic way.

The Minister-President of Flanders, Mr Jan Jambon, attended the signing, which took place at the University. Jambon said they were excited about the agreement and collaborating with SU on an initiative that benefits communities globally.

Project phases

SU project lead Prof Sara Grobbelaar, from the Department of Industrial Engineering, says the improved technology will also help to establish whether the cold chain was broken and if the product has been delivered to the patient.

“A lot of vaccines go to waste and that is why we are looking at an outcomes-based aspect to make sure that when funders pay for the delivery of the resource, it reaches the intended audience instead of paying for inputs such as vials of vaccines.

“We also want to look at how we can create a social franchise model where local companies can use the technology and participate in last mile delivery service provision. The long-term implementation goal is to look at developing integrated information systems around tracking last mile delivery through technologies."

The project will incorporate research and service activities and comprises four phases, spread over a two-year period.

The first phase will see the University collaborate with Flemish colleagues to set up and monitor a pilot test of vaccine carrier technology in South Africa; followed by phase two, which will focus on the implementation of the vaccine carrier technology and conceptualising the outcome-based delivery model.

The third phase will focus on how to localise the implementation of the initiative. As part of this phase, the University and potential entrepreneurs and stakeholders will co-create an implementation model to roll out the technology and related outcome-based delivery model.

During the final phase, the University will complete a feasibility study through input from the technology providers in Flanders and industry partners in South Africa for the creation of local manufacturing and maintenance of the cold chain technology. The result is to define technology and production requirements, as well as a business case for investors.

Collaboration

Grobbelaar says the project will also include collaboration with colleagues in the Faculty. This includes Prof Louis Louw (supply chain expert) and Dr Euodia Vermeulen (data science expert), with input from colleagues from the Department of Logistics such as Prof Leila Goedhals-Gerber (cold chain expert). They also identified project partners – global pharmaceutical companies and logistics players – who will provide support to test and help implement the project ideas for the supply chain intervention.

Grobbelaar says the project complements the work they are doing in health systems engineering and will improve access to healthcare in Africa.

“We want to make sure that people can receive medicines on time, in the right quantities and in the right condition, which is really important. We think this initiative will help to build capacity in South Africa and at our University to assist with the development of technologies, to test the use of these, to look at the feasibility of these in the long run and create entrepreneurial models to sustain them. We will also gain insights through our research, which we will be able to publish in the public domain for the public good."

Photo: Prof Eugene Cloete (SU's Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies​) and Mr Johan Moyersoen (General Manager, Impact Licensing Initiative) signed the agreement in the presence of Dr Geraldine REYMENANTS (General Representative of the Government of Flanders in South Africa), Mr Jan Jambon (Minister-President of Flanders), Mr Didier Vanderhasselt (Ambassador, Embassy of Belgium in Pretoria), Prof Sara Grobbelaar (Industrial Engineering), Mr Shane Bennet (CEO Snomaster) and Prof Louis Louw (Industrial Engineering). Photographer: Sandra Mulder