Rhodes University and Unicef join forces to fight childhood diseases

Early detection methods of childhood diseases are generally either unavailable, unreliable or too expensive in developing countries.

But a partnership between Rhodes University’s biotechnology innovation centre (Rubic) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) Global Innovation Centre (GIC), will see these challenges being addressed.

Rubic has developed a suite of proven technological advancements in diagnostics testing that can increase life expectancy and quality of life for children.

The collaboration has produced the ability to test for, and thus treat, life-threatening diseases such as HIV and malaria soon after the point of infection in communities without the means or infrastructure to do so.

Speaking at the launch last week of the new diagnostic lab, Dr Peter Clayton, deputy vice-chancellor of research and innovation at Rhodes University, said it was a joyous occasion to celebrate the opening of the new labs.

“These diagnostics tests, which literally intend to save thousands of vulnerable children and vulnerable women in the child-bearing context, is something we can be proud of,” he said.

“It’s quite a statement about their resilience that they [Rubic] have managed to achieve this goal regardless. We are proud of them,” he said.

Mathias Devi, a youth and innovation specialist based at Unicef’s New York headquarters, said he was excited to see the culmination of the partnership between the university and Unicef produce biosensors for rapid and accurate diagnostics.

He said it was a remarkable achievement to develop products from scratch in such a short time, as Rubic did.

“It was actually quite a fast turnaround time, from idea stage to product stage,” he said.

Devi is excited about the possibility these diagnostic devices could bring to the most vulnerable populations of the world in early detection of diseases, reducing costs for patients and reaching thousands in need.

Clayton explained there were a few unique features in the diagnostic tests developed by Rubic.

These include the assessment of CD4-positive blood cell counts in HIV patients, the identification of specific malaria strains, the early detection of pregnancy risk factors, and the development of a mobile phone application that interprets this real-time data for patients and health care workers.      

“We are looking at manufacturing on a small scale,” Clayton said.

The DSI/NRF South African research chair of the Biotechnology Innovation and  Engagement and director of Rubic, Prof Janice Limson, thanked Unicef for having faith in “our small African university”.

“It is especially important to recognise Rhodes University, as a lot of focus tends to go to bigger and more centrally-situated universities in developed countries.

“Great research happens right here and who better to develop these products than us?”