SA trailblazers vying for Africa’s biggest innovation prize
A home-grown and reusable hand-held device that can examine the cervix and uterus without the need for an anaesthetic is receiving international recognition after it was shortlisted for Africa’s biggest prize for engineering innovation.
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) solution, Flexigyn, developed by Edmund Wessels as part of his PHD studies in biomedical engineering, helps gynaecologists diagnose and treat uterine conditions.
He hopes it will improve women’s access to quality healthcare, particularly women in remote areas, thanks to its simplicity.
It is one of three SA innovations and among 15 African pioneers to be shortlisted by the UK’S Royal Academy of Engineering for the 2023 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation (APEI).
Those also credited for their work include Dr Deon Neveling, who created a multi-strain probiotic, Probigal, designed to promote gut health and prevent bacterial infections in chickens, reducing the need for antibiotics.
Another South African is Boitumelo Nkatlo, who created the Affordable AMD (acid mine drainage) Solution, a technology that uses industrial waste to recycle contaminated water for human consumption.
The 15 innovations tackle challenges central to the UN’S sustainable development goals, including quality education, clean water and sanitation, sustainable cities and communities, good health and well-being, and clean energy.
Other Africans from Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe are represented in the competition.
The winner, which will be chosen next July in Accra, Ghana, will receive £25,000 (R427,194), and three runnersup will win £10,000 (R170,877) each. An additional award of £5,000 (R85,438) will be awarded to the most promising innovator.
Wessels and his research team invented Flexigyn as a response to challenges in reproductive healthcare for women in places that still use outdated and inefficient devices which cause discomfort.
Anaesthesia is not commonly used for hysteroscopies in Africa.
Existing devices require sterilisation after each use or have single-use camera scopes.
Flexigyn incorporates a disposable sheath for the reusable device to remove sterilisation requirements and improve efficiency. The sheath provides channels that allow for the connecting and passing of saline solution to distend the uterus.
After trialling Flexigyn with gynaecologists, Wessels and his team are working with regulatory and manufacturing experts to move from development to manufacturing.
“We’ve developed a system to bring healthcare to women, where and when they need it.
“Our solution is designed with the physician and patient in mind, to be an intuitive, userfriendly device that improves the user experience, taking the patient into account with flexibility and minimal discomfort,” he said.
Wessels described being shortlisted as “an incredible honour”.
“The past and present innovations are all amazing, and it’s fantastic to have our work placed up there with the rest.
“I’m looking forward to learning how to convey the worth of our work and how to secure the right funding we need as we grow.”
Apart from awarding winners with financial incentives, the shortlisted innovators will also benefit from a package of support including business incubation, mentoring, fundraising and communications.
The shortlisted innovators will also have access to a global network of high-profile and experienced engineers and business experts in the UK and Africa.
Neveling, who developed the water-based chicken probiotic as part of his PHD research at Stellenbosch University a few years ago, said he is looking forward to gaining more skills as part of the prize programme.
The multi-strain probiotic designed to prevent bacterial infections in chickens, comes as a powder to be mixed with the chickens’ drinking water.
It helps farmers to promote gut health while avoiding excess use of antibiotics, which can cause drug resistance in bacteria threatening human and animal health.
“Sometimes as a researcher, you’re in your own bubble developing technology and don’t get a lot of validation from society with regards to trying to improve humanity.
“Getting nominated gives me that extra energy to continue with my work.
“We want to learn more about business development, so the business knowledge and skills development will help.”
Nkatlo, who looks to convert up to two-million litres of AMD to drinking water every day, which can be provided back to mines and surrounding lowincome communities at a lower cost than municipal water, said being shortlisted “has taken the developed technology of acid mine drainage treatment to the world”.
His prototype has been successfully tested at SA’S Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), using AMD from a gold and coal mine.
He now plans to install modular units at a coal operation in Mpumalanga and gold mines around Johannesburg.
“We are looking for potential off-takers in the mining industry to commercialise our developed solution and are using the programme to reach out and network.