NTBC’s UNZA Medical Ventillator cheers Zambian Breweries and Lafarge

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NTBC’s UNZA Medical Ventillator cheers Zambian Breweries and Lafarge

By Derrick Sinjela

HIGHER Education Minister Brian Mushimba is elated that the Medical Ventillator technology launced in collaboration with the University of Zambia and the private sector will assist the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the fight against the Novel Coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic.

Dr. Mushimba called for the support of innovations by higher institutions of learning in Zambia.

In a speech read for him by Higher Education Permanent Secretary (PS), Kayula Siame, Dr. Mushimba said home-grown innovations encourage local participation in the manufacturing sector.

And Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr. Kennedy Malama, in a speech read for him by his representative Christopher Chanda, said the fight against the pandemic needs stakeholder support.

Meanwhile, UNZA Acting Vice Chancellor, Tamala Kambikambi called on stakeholders to partner with institutions of higher learning to build capacity to enable medical equipment such as ventilators to be produced locally.

And Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) President Ezekiel Selele prodded the private sector to invest in research and development by public universities.

Acknowledging Health Minister, Mr. Jonas Kamima, Higher Education Minister, Dr. Brian Mushimba, The Vice Chancellor – UNZA, Professor Luke Evuta Mumba, Ministry of Higher Education, PS Ms. Siame and Ministry of Health PS Dr. Siame, National Technology Business Centre (NTBC) Executive Director
Dr. Chitundu Kasase, explains that the agency
exists to promote innovations, facilitate technology transfer and commercialise innovations.

Dr. Kasase noted that with the detection of the first incidence of Coronavirus (covid 19) in Zambia in early March 2020, the regulatory body was motivated to respond by identifying and promoting the development of COVID 19 related innovations.

Dr. Kasase recollected that within a short period of the pandemic’s detection, the virus was already crippling Zambia’s economic sectors.

“To this effect the National Technology Business Centre is delighted to receive a request from the University of Zambia to facilitate the development of three (03) covid 19 ventilators. With special backing of its parent Ministry, the Ministry of Higher Education, NTBC is able to facilitate this development through financial support amounting to K100, 000 from the Technology Business Fund (TBDF). This was done in accordance with our mission, ‘to effectively promote innovations, commercialise and transfer technologies in order to unlock Zambia’s competitiveness and deliver social economic value,”
the TBDF was created for commercialization of technologies developed locally by research and development institutions as well as small micro and medium enterprises. The Fund mainly targets projects that are utilizing proven technologies which are ready for commercialization,” Dr. Kasase said on Tuesday 23rd March 2021.

Dr. Kasase explained that NTBC serves numerous clients in its quest to be a dynamic institution supporting technology transfer, commercialization and innovation such as; Innovators- who are constantly seeking to commercialize their innovations -Entrepreneurs- for Innovative and technological businesses, – Research & Development Institutions, University or Colleges – for Technology Transfer & commercialization.

“The Technology and Innovation (STI) sector is critical in the sustainable development of any country. To make adequate economic strides as a country, adequate financing to support commercialization of outputs of research cannot be over emphasized. It is the same for financing start-ups on the Zambian market. NTBC pledges to strengthen linkages between research institutions and industry by financing technology development and transfer. It will help to increase the uptake of researched products by industry through enterprise development and adoption of appropriate technologies,” observed Dr. Kasase.

Dr. Kasase is hopeful that NTBC built linkages will result in increased output of research products and competitiveness of enterprises.

Acting as a proverbial siamese twins, Zambian Breweries and Lafarge Zambia breathed life into the UNZA prototype Ventilators, unveiled on Tuesday 23rd March 2021.

The University of Zambia’s (UNZA) School of Engineering has developed Zambia’s first ever locally produced respirator to help improve the country’s capacity to treat covid-19 patients.
The project – which launched its first working prototype on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 – is jointly funded by Zambian Breweries and Lafarge Zambia to the tune of ZMW100, 000.
Speaking during the ventilator’s virtual launch, Zambian Breweries Lusaka Plant Manager Albert Malunga described the creation of the prototype as a huge milestone in the country’s pursuit of self-reliance in medical engineering and the industrialisation agenda.
Mr. Malunga said: “At Zambian Breweries, we operate on a desire to build strong communities for a better world. Our support for this project is a clear demonstration of our commitment to nurture local talent and help lift the living standards in our communities. As a company that supports innovation, particularly among the youth, Zambian Breweries is proud to have partnered with Lafarge Zambia Plc and the University of Zambia in bringing this dream to reality”. 
Mr Malunga, a graduate of the Copperbelt University – Production Management, noted that having respirators – which are critical tools in covid-19 treatment – locally produced would make them more readily available and cheaper compared with imported models.

“Other engineers in Zambia must take inspiration from this project and create inventions that will support the country’s manufacturing sector. I am hopeful that this will inspire other engineers to come up with innovations that will drive growth in the local manufacturing sector. It is only through a diversified economy that we can achieve the development targets outlined in vision 2030 and the 7th National Development Plan,” said Malunga.
On his part, Lafarge Zambia Plc Chilanga Plant Production Manager, Jonas Kaonga is proud that history had been made by UNZA launching a locally made ventilator.

“As an engineer and employee of Lafarge Zambia, I am proud to say that today Lafarge Zambia and Zambian Breweries have made history, by supporting the first ventilator manufactured in Zambia by our talented team of local engineers, from the School of Engineering and Technology Development and Advisory Unit (TDAU) at UNZA,” noted an elated Mr. Kaonga. 

Kaonga reiterated Health and Safety being Lafarge’s core value attaching the firm to the ventilator project designed to help Zambia fight Coronavirus.

“At Lafarge Zambia, Health and Safety is our core value thus, the Health and Safety of our communities, customers, suppliers, transporters, and the country as a whole is of great importance to us, thus our great interest in the UNZA ventilator project, when it was first presented to us by the Zambia Association Manufacturers (ZAM) of which both Lafarge Zambia and Zambian Breweries embraced it. All players must be proud of this ventilator project and support the government and higher institutions of learning to develop local solutions to local problems. The completion of this prototype could not be timelier as Zambia joins the rest of the world to fight the new strain of covid-19. Zambian Breweries and Lafarge Zambia are extremely eager to see the respirator enter mass production and aid Zambia’s fight against the pandemic,” said a delighted Kaonga.

Zambian Breweries and Lafarge Zambia have pledged to fight covid-19 in partnership with the Zambian Government and industry players.
Over the past year, the Zambian Breweries and Lafarge Zambia have donated various materials – hand sanitizers, cleaning products, and Personal Protective Equipment to Government and private sector institutions while championing communication in local communities.  

Zambian Breweries has equally partnered with the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) to ensure constant water supply in townships such as George Compound of Lusaka, to name but one to help maintain sanitation standards in line with prevention guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health.

In line with the NTBC Mission: ‘To be a leading institution in the promotion, marketing and transfer of technologies in Zambia by the year 2030, the agency
was formed Monday 1st April, 2002 in Lusaka.
Headquarters Lusaka,

NTBC was created by the Science and Technology Act No. 26 of 1997 and Statutory Instrument No. 136 of 1999 to promote, market and facilitate technology transfer.

As alluded to earlier, NTBC became operational on Monday 1st April, 2002 under Zambia’s Ministry of Science Technology and Vocational Training.