Systems, processes, and policies are not exactly things that grab the headlines or are popular topics for dinner conversations. But they become vital in times of crisis.
And if there is one thing that we have learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is that no amount of time, effort or resources should be spared to get them in place before disaster strikes.
During my own education and training in the field of engineering, I was constantly reminded of the value of systems: a set of components working together; a complex whole.
In subsequent years, I also realised time and time again how system principles can be applied equally successfully in management. In any organisation, systems ensure unified and stable operation. And in times of crisis, they prevent hysteria, uncertainty, and unnecessary waste of time.
In the middle of March last year, staff who were able to, were asked to work from home. Events were postponed, staff and students were trained to work in a remote setting, and a moratorium was placed on international travel – even before a national lockdown was put in place by the government.
In retrospect, this timely, holistic, systematic approach proved to be invaluable.
As we are entering the vaccine phase of the pandemic, it is more vital than ever to maintain a "systems" approach. Now is not the time for shortcuts, untested remedies and vague claims of efficiency. Now is the time for systematic implementation of tried and tested processes, developed over time and underscored by good science.
The SA National Control Laboratory for Biological Products (NCLBP) on our Bloemfontein campus is performing the all-important task of vaccine lot release. As the sole provider of this service in the country and one of 12 World Health Organisation (WHO)-contracted laboratories worldwide for vaccine quality control testing, it forms part of a carefully crafted regulatory system, which has been established, fine-tuned, and tested over many years to serve the interests of the global community.
Vaccines are biological medicines and some of the most complex pharmaceuticals available today. It is vital that their regulation be governed by scientific and not commercial or political principles. It is a role that should under no circumstances simply be given to the "lowest bidder" or the one who promises "speedy delivery".
The NCLBP did not get to play this regulatory role overnight. It was established in 1997 after an extremely stringent audit by the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) and subsequent recommendations by the WHO.
This means that all its operations – from the way documents are compiled and stored, to the maintenance of equipment and infrastructure, as well as staff competence – are performed according to strict international guidelines and continuously and closely monitored.
It forms part of an involved system with checks and balances in place to ensure that no mistakes are made.
Similarly, FARMOVS – a wholly owned clinical research company of the UFS – has submitted a clinical trial protocol for approval to the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to determine the efficacy of Ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19.
Without a doubt, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of online learning, the huge need that exists to be properly equipped for this, and has given us a powerful shove in a direction we were already advancing to.
But it has also shown us that, in the midst of increasing digitisation, our need for social and physical interaction remains. The isolation brought about by Covid-19 has taught us that we cannot function as a digital society.
This will probably lead to higher education institutions presenting a blended mode of learning and teaching in the future; a combination of online learning and face-to-face interactions, ensuring that students still get to experience campus life and the valuable interactions that go with it.
The pandemic has also helped to crystallise the way in which we as "generators of knowledge" should interact with society. The recent rhetoric of anti-scientific world leaders has caused communities to become distrustful of universities and science. We need to work on building trust within communities again.
While we are all eager to move beyond this period in our collective history, back to a world that resembles more of the "old normal" we long for, we should not make hasty, ill-considered moves and take shortcuts to get there. We should also see this period as our opportunity to push our boundaries, embrace the "new normal", and be innovative in our thinking on how to stay there.
• Prof Francis Petersen is rector and vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State
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