PreCare platform expands healthcare access in Namibia

Access to medical care remains a major challenge in large parts of rural Namibia. Long distances to clinics, limited infrastructure and a shortage of medical professionals particularly affect indigenous communities such as the San. High rates of tuberculosis and HIV, combined with insufficient hygiene facilities, further complicate preventive and therapeutic care.

To address these challenges, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has developed the PreCare platform, a mobile and self-sufficient healthcare unit designed for use in hard-to-reach areas. According to the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, the platform is intended to support primary healthcare delivery where conventional services are difficult to provide.

On 10 December 2025, a prototype of the PreCare unit was officially handed over by the Fraunhofer spin-off S Mile Solutions and Fraunhofer IST to the N/a’an ku sê Foundation. “For more than two decades, our Lifeline Clinic has been providing medical care to San communities in remote settlements. The PreCare unit offers us precisely the technologies and possibilities that we need in order to reliably provide medical care where it is most urgently needed”, said Marlice van Vuuren, co-founder and executive director of the N/a’an ku sê Foundation.

The PreCare platform was developed through intensive research and collaboration with partners in Namibia and South Africa. It is fully autonomous, combining solar power, battery storage, water treatment systems, onboard disinfectant production and cooling technologies. The platform also allows the integration of medical diagnostic devices and telemedicine modules.

This setup enables doctors, nurses and trained healthcare staff to carry out basic medical examinations, vaccinations and preventive or therapeutic measures independently of electricity grids, water supply or paved roads. “Our goal was to create a platform technology that can be deployed immediately in the field and that can simultaneously be flexibly adapted to local conditions,” emphasized Dr. Martin Hamann, CEO of S Mile Solutions.

The handover of the prototype marks the beginning of close cooperation between Fraunhofer, S Mile Solutions and the N/a’an ku sê Foundation. While S Mile Solutions provides the vehicle and platform locally, Fraunhofer institutes train Lifeline Clinic staff in operating the system. The trained teams then test the unit under real-life conditions and provide ongoing feedback.

Under the guiding principle “Made in Africa for Africa”, Fraunhofer IST, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and S Mile Solutions aim to establish production, operation and maintenance structures in African countries over the medium to long term.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST