Hope for improved acces to X-ray: EssentialTech spin-off launches first diagnostics centre in South Africa

The Open Diagnostics centre is equipped with the Cristalix-T1 radiology solution by Pristem Global Diagnostics in Switzerland. The technology is based on a digital, ultra-robust medical X-ray solution producing high quality images at low dose.

As a low-income community adjacent to wealthy areas, Alexandra Township is representative of the deep inequalities in South Africa. The new centre will enable easy access to radiology exams, whereas previously residents would spend hours or even days travelling to obtain these services. At the new centre, patients will be able to rapidly obtain an X-ray exam and have the diagnostic report sent to their doctor the same day.

With Deputy Head of the Swiss Mission to South Africa Marino Cuenat in attendance, the centre was officially opened by the Honourable MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. In her keynote speech, Ms. Nkomo-Ralehoko said, “Today, we are not just opening a facility; we are unlocking a future of unparalleled healthcare access in Alexandra. Here, in the heart of our township, we are setting a new standard for healthcare, one that speaks to the needs of every resident and paves the way for a healthier, more empowered Alexandra.”

Open Diagnostics aims not simply to provide Alexandra Township with enhanced infrastructure, but to advance quality healthcare as not just a privilege but a fundamental right. Lars Beykirch, Pristem Global Diagnostic’s CEO, said that according to a study published by the World Health Organization (WHO), about two thirds of the global population, or roughly five billion people, have no or only very limited access to reliable, medical imaging services:

“The Cristalix-T1 technology you see here today is the culmination of a vision shared by two engineers at the EssentialTech Centre at EPFL – one South African, Solomzi Makholiso, the other Swiss, Klaus Schönenberger. Their vision was to solve the challenge identified by the WHO, by designing and building technology specifically designed to operate reliably in challenging environments such as South Africa’s where power outages and adverse climatic conditions are the norm.”

Pristem Diagnostics South Africa (Pty) Ltd is a subsidiary of Pristem SA based in Switzerland. Pristem Diagnostics South Africa’s CEO, Yvonne Motsisi, said its second diagnostic centre is scheduled to open at Maponya Mall in Soweto during the first quarter of 2024. Pristem SA intends to deploy several other centres in underserved communities throughout South Africa in the coming months, before expanding beyond South Africa’s borders.

“The successful roll out of these centres throughout South Africa over the next five years will expand South Africa’s diagnostic capacity by more than four million X-ray images. This will complement primary healthcare services offered by General Practitioners and Primary Healthcare Clinics in underserved communities,” she explained.

Pristem SA was EPFL EssentialTech’s first spin-off in 2018, launched to industrialize and deploy the technology developed through the “GlobalDiagnostiX” project, led by EssentialTech. Several EPFL labs participated in the research and development: Signal Processing Laboratory 5 (LTS5), Distributed Electrical Systems Laboratory (DESL), Microelectronic Systems Laboratory (LSM), Laboratory for Applied Mechanical Design (LAMD), and Robotic Systems Laboratory (LSRO). Support from external partners HES-SO, Paul Scherrer Institute, CHUV and CHU Yaoundé was also vital. The company was awarded a record 14 million from Swiss and African investors in first round funding.

Find out more:

www.pristem.com

www.opendiagnostics.co.za

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