In practice: A warm welcome in Namibia

How the operation is being rolled out in practice is explained in a Q&A session between S&V Protect and Dr. Martin Hamann, CEO of S Mile Solutions (Pty) Ltd.

How many of these vehicles are in use?
Currently only Prototype II on a Hilux in Namibia.

How are the vehicles staffed?
It is operated by an NGO and only needs a driver and a nurse

Have you settled on a particular make and model of truck?
No, it doesn’t matter and can fit on any pickup truck. Actually, it doesn’t have to be a pickup truck, the platform technology can be modified to fit in a trailer etc. Larger scale can also be fitted in containerised solutions. We started by using pickup trucks, as we thought they provide a cost-effective alternative to reach remote locations.

How many patients have been attended to?
Prototype I was piloted in Mpumalanga on the back of a VW Amarok from March 2023 until June 2024 and reached on average 157 patients per month who otherwise would not receive care. Prototype II was just launched in Namibia.

Whether and how these units have been customised for local conditions.
From the start we have developed our integrated self-sufficient platform to be robust in rural Africa.

Has your service been integrated into the national and/or provincial health services?
We are still working on this. Quite difficult.

How has your service been financed?
So far it has been sponsored by the Fraunhofer Future Foundation. We are working on business models to make this a sustainable business.

Will more vehicles be in service, and if so, where, and when?
We will try a different approach in the future, and we do not know when.

In April 2025 the SMile team launched their second generation PreCare (preclinical healthcare) integrated utility platform prototype on the back of a Toyota Hilux in Namibia. The platform contains an integrated system for the self-sufficient generation, storage and supply of electricity, water and disinfectant anywhere in the field. The platform was handed over to Mudiro, a primary healthcare NGO, for deployment in a pilot programme to increase access to quality cervical cancer care to rural communities in the Kavango East region of northeastern Namibia.

The many lessons learned from our first generation PreCare platform prototype that was piloted in the Mpumalanga province, South Africa were implemented in this second-generation platform. However, this time we deliberately wanted to put the platform architecture through its paces and subject it to the extreme temperature, dust and off-road conditions of Namibia. The lessons learned from our experiences in Namibia in the next 12 months will stand us in good stead in future platform product developments.

Three unforgettable moments marked the launch of the SMile second generation PreCare platform in Namibia:

1. We were thrilled to receive an endorsement from Pupkewitz Toyota in Windhoek, which included mechanical services support for the Toyota Hilux transporting our platform through the challenging terrains where it will be utilized. As the leading Toyota dealership group in Namibia, we are looking forward to our future collaboration.
2. Before handing over the platform, we assessed its dynamic stability under extreme flooding conditions in the Etosha National Park. We are very pleased and proud to announce that the platform passed this demanding test with flying colours!
3. We were received with great excitement at the Andara District Catholic Hospital where the official handover of the PreCare platform to Mudiro took place. Doctors and nurses examined the platform with keen interest and expressed their overwhelming approval. This was a deeply emotional moment, and we are thrilled to contribute to Mudiro’s cervical cancer screening campaign.

The second generation PreCare integrated utility platform utilizes a multi-functional approach to deploy critical healthcare solutions to remote and off-grid communities in Africa. The complete self-sufficient utility platform includes a standalone solar PV battery-supported power system, highly energy efficient refrigerators for medicines, vaccines and samples, water treatment and purification technologies, and an onboard disinfectant production system. A communication center is still planned to also enable remote telemedical examination. The most important technical specifications of the integrated utility platform are provided in the table below.

• Tare unit mass (kg) 510 kg
• Gross unit mass (kg) 650 kg
• Length (stowed) 2.7 m
• Height (Stowed) 1 m
• Width (Stowed) 1.5 m
• Coverage (Stowed) 8.1 m 2
• Coverage (Fully extended) 30 m 2
• Water tank capacity 120 L
• Hypochlorite disinfectant tank capacity 10 L
• Nominal battery capacity 5 680 Wh
• Useable battery capacity 5 100 Wh
• Peak power output (15s @ 100A) 2.880 kW
• Maximum continuous power output (@ 56A) 1.613 kW
• Peak solar power output 1.650 kWp