PICS & VIDEO: ‘Pelebox’ provides a remedy for medication queues
The smart box allows patients to input their cellphone number and a pin code to receive their parcel of medication from inside a locked box.
Neo Hutiri speaks to The Citizen at the Winnie Mandela Clinic in Tembisa, 22 July 2049. He is the founder of the Pelebox which is a smart locker that enables patients to collect their repeat chronic medication in under 2 minutes instead of waiting hours queuing at public clinics. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
As a former tuberculosis (TB) patient who dreaded the long queues he often had to endure to get much-needed medication, a South African engineer has come up with a solution to help thousands of people get their medication in 36 seconds.
His invention, a smart box called the “Pelebox”, was launched at the Winnie Mandela Clinic in Tembisa yesterday.
It operates in partnership with the national health department and the US embassy’s President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.
The smart box allows people with HIV and other chronic diseases to collect their medication in a matter of seconds, instead of waiting for hours at public health facilities.
US embassy communications advisor Alissa Dolan said data showed SA had the biggest treatment rollout in the world, but it also reflected the challenges of keeping people on treatment.
A Pelebox is pictured at the Winnie Mandela Clinic in Tembisa, 22 July 2049. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
She said it had been found that those with HIV and other chronic illnesses were less likely to stay on treatment because of the inconvenience of having to wait hours to receive it. She said the smart box would help solve this problem.
Pelebox inventor and entrepreneur Neo Hutiri named the box after a Tswana word “pele”, which means quickly.
The smart box allows patients to input their cellphone number and a pin code to receive their parcel of medication from inside a locked box that immediately pops open.
He said: “Pelebox started as a journey for me when I was diagnosed with TB. I started getting medication from my local clinic with the intention of trying to figure out how we, as patients, can find solutions for ourselves that deliver the kind of service we want.
“Patients do not want to sit in queues for so long.
“The idea was how to create something that actually helps with public service and also has a bit of technology and fun [involved in it].”
A Pelebox is pictured at the Winnie Mandela Clinic in Tembisa, 22 July 2049. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Hutiri said his first hurdle was to prove to the national health department and the South African Pharmacy Council that the idea could work.
With sponsorship from the City of Tshwane, he carried out a pilot project over 18 months in a bid to convince them.
Dolan said there were four Peleboxes currently in operation in Ekurhuleni, with six more planned to launch by the end of September.
“Additionally, the US embassy’s President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief plans to support five Peleboxes by the end of September in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Dolan. “The scale-up of the Pelebox will continue in 2020, including 15 additional boxes in Ekurhuleni.
“There are currently approximately 800 patients enrolled to use the Pelebox at Winnie Mandela Clinic in Tembisa.”
She said a Pelebox cost approximately R230,000 to install and the monthly maintenance cost was R3,400.
“The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief is very proud to support these kind of innovations because we realise there are a lot of challenges in the system. But there are ways to make the system better – and this is one of them.”
Video by Carlos Muchave
– jenniffero@citizen.co.za
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