The pandemic has given a new thrust in innovation, especially in the medical equipment sector, as responses ushered in to tackle the virus. Any technological advance to prove successful has to consider that low and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially Africa and Asia, have access to the technology. It has to be ensured that supply chains function smoothly, maintenance costs are feasible, and that technology and local needs are in sync.
To better tackle the problems, it is imperative that the local needs of the concerned country be kept in mind. When it comes to the pandemic, it is evident that the health ministries of the countries are first responders and hence can prove to be promising partners in understanding local conditions and needs. For example, often in LMIC countries, power connections are flaky. Several medicines and vaccines could go wrong in the absence of constant refrigeration. In such regions, innovation should think about the equipment that can deal with prolonged power outages, refrigerators with a backup battery, installing small solar power grids, or looking for renewable sources of electricity.
Equipment should have components that are of standardized design. More importantly, keeping the parts flexible according to the available supply chains will go a long way in maintaining the equipment that would otherwise be rendered useless with just one small tear. If agreeing to a standardized design to facilitate maintenance seems complicated, effort should be made to make the design of a machine available to many via open-source so that local workers can replace parts on their own. 3D printing is one promising method of design proliferation to reach out to local organisations and individuals.
Keeping available supplement goods is another helpful strategy. For example, ventilators need oxygen. Just as more ventilators are acquired, oxygen supply chains too should be ensured. Moreover, devices can be equipped with data-collecting features, like SIM cards or a smart signal system that collects data that may help health workers properly care for the devices. Lastly, health care workers should be meticulously trained for using new devices and resources.
The new variant of the novel coronavirus, named “Omicron” by the WHO, was first discovered in South Africa. It is assumed to be more transmittable and more lethal even than the Delta variant. South Africa and its neighbouring countries, especially Botswana, are witnessing a sudden spike in cases. Many countries have already stopped international flights from South Africa, prompting a harsh reaction from the latter.
The more the virus persists and is transmitted, it will continue to have mutations that make it more likely to survive longer, despite medical interventions and vaccines. Notably, South Africa and Africa have some of the lowest rates of vaccination in the world. This points to a far more dangerous phenomenon of vaccine inequity. Any attempt at defeating this virus cannot ignore the importance of fighting it in some of the world’s poorest countries. It is of vital importance that health sector innovations do not discount them.