Coronavirus – South Africa: Government's ventilator project enters production phase - first units expected soon

This development comes after an intense few months during which prototypes were designed, developed and tested, while adhering to very strict technical and safety specifications

In a first on the African continent, South African manufactured ventilators are in production and the first life-saving machines will be ready in a few weeks' time. These ventilators will complement the existing stock in the public and private healthcare industry and additional purchases of ventilators from global manufacturers and donations received from other countries.

This development comes after an intense few months during which prototypes were designed, developed and tested, while adhering to very strict technical and safety specifications.

The South African Radio Astronomy Organisation (SARAO), responsible for one of the world’s largest big-science initiatives, the Square Kilometre Array radio-astronomy project, put together an experienced team led by Professor Rob Adam to manage this process.

Approval for the ventilators was given by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) which conducts stringent testing to ensure compliance with the highest levels of safety.

Funding mechanisms to speed-up the process made significant progress in the past month.

"Given the enormous global shortage of ventilators, a few months ago we started the National Ventilator Project (NVP) with the aim of rapidly facilitating local development and manufacturing of thousands of non-invasive ventilators," said Ebrahim Patel, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.

"Within the space of four months we have gone from not producing any ventilators at all to having the first units in production. The National Ventilator Project is a great example of partnership and innovation, and what we can achieve when we work together toward common objectives. With prototypes approved, funding raised, and component supply lines secured, manufacturing has begun. The project has also identified that we have the industrial capacity to scale up production for exporting ventilators to other African countries should the need arise."

The National Ventilator Project is of huge importance during the covid-19 crisis and we are pleased to be able to provide significant funding towards it

Following a thorough and open process requesting proposals from local innovators and industry, which resulted in 95 proposals, the NVP identified several companies/consortia with the capabilities to produce ventilators at the required specifications. The average unit cost is around R12 500, which is significantly lower than anything that can be found commercially.

Most of the funding for the production of 20 000 units has been secured from the Solidarity Fund with funds already provided to purchase the first 10 000 units while negotiations are underway to fund the additional units. The Fund has previously also funded prototype development for the NVP to the value of R11.3 million.

“The National Ventilator Project is of huge importance during the covid-19 crisis and we are pleased to be able to provide significant funding towards it. It is yet another example of how speedily we can achieve life-saving objectives when we come together and pool our expertise," said Gloria Serobe, the chairperson of the Solidarity Fund.

In April this year, Minister Patel initiated the NVP with the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Minister Blade Nzimande, appointing SARAO to serve as project managers given their world-leading systems integration and systems engineering capabilities.

“This project has benefited from the active support of and collaboration with Ministers Blade Nzimande and Zweli Mkhize, drawing in the technical capabilities of public institutions and the private sector and working closely with the Solidarity Fund,” said Minister Patel.

Based on clinical experience in global epicentres like China, Italy, the UK and the US, senior critical care physicians advised that we should focus on the production of non-invasive Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices while the health system focused on procuring more complex and invasive ventilators to supplement current available devices. Out of the 95 proposals received, six were selected to continue to the prototyping phase.

Four manufacturers have received SAHPRA approval. The Solidarity Fund has already approved funding for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) project, which has started production on an order of 10 000 units that will be delivered in stages over the next two months. Negotiations with other entities are currently in process.

The CSIR anticipates that the first batch of 2000 ventilators will be delivered within the next few weeks, with further units delivered by mid-August, and the balance by the beginning of September.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, South Africa.