GEIGY AWARD 2022

Astrid Knoblauch uses drones to transport tuberculosis drugs in Madagascar. For this, the R. Geigy Foundation awards them the 12th R. Geigy Prize 2022.

The drone whirs across the cloudless skies of Madagascar. Its cargo: life-saving medication against tuberculosis. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world; between the rural population and a doctor or pharmacy lie miles of walking along rough paths, through rice paddies and across raging rivers. Treatment for fatal diseases such as tuberculosis is far from guaranteed. "Half of all tuberculosis cases in Madagascar go undetected," says Astrid Knoblauch, epidemiologist at the Swiss TPH and recipient of the 2022 Geigy Prize.

Innovation in healthcare

Transport drones could provide a solution here. To test this, Knoblauch first set foot in Madagascar in 2017. At that time, she validated the suitability of this technology for the Pasteur Institute Madagascar and Stony Brook University in the US. The term "drone" evokes a distorted image. The flying objects the scientist dealt with were more like mini-aircraft that didn't simply drop their cargo carelessly over the rainforest, but carefully brought it back to earth. These flights weren't always smooth; the technology often failed. What a stroke of luck when...

The drone took off with the medication. And what a bitter disappointment it was when, two seconds later, it crashed into a tree or suddenly started billowing smoke, recalls Astrid Knoblauch. "In moments like these, it was important to keep our sense of humor and improve the technology step by step." This also included training local specialists. Because innovations in Africa aren't worth their name if they aren't integrated into society and can't be maintained by local experts. "I was pleased to hear that the follow-up project, also funded by the Global Fund, relied heavily on Madagascan expertise and enabled a local business," says Knoblauch.

Madagascar – A Paradise Under Threat

Madagascar has captivated the researcher in other ways as well. "I love the island, its unique nature, and its people," she says. Shortly after her arrival, she looked for a football club. Football is one of her great passions. It also helped her quickly integrate socially. Soon she was speaking her first words of Malagasy, attending concerts, and exploring the surroundings. On her numerous trips across the island,

During her time in Madagascar, she became acutely aware of how much people's health depends on the integrity of the environment. And such an environment is far from being in place. Madagascar's forests are disappearing rapidly. Droughts, crop failures, and climate change threaten the livelihoods of the largely impoverished population. That's why Astrid Knoblauch called for help.

Together with partners, they launched «Malio» in 2020. The start-up, with 90 employees, organized waste disposal in Toliara, a city in the southwest of the country.

Two thousand tons of waste were collected and recycled monthly in the neighborhoods. This also led to the development of new products, such as eco-briquettes, which cost the population less than conventional charcoal. "We hope that such small initiatives will help to alleviate some of the pressure on the forests," says Knoblauch. Because: "Madagascar doesn't just need high-tech. Staying healthy also means taking small steps to maintain the fragile balance between people and their natural environment."