Toyota Land Cruiser certified to deliver vaccines according to WHO standards

TOYOTA Tsusho Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, and B Medical Systems S.à r.l. have announced that the venerable Land Cruiser has obtained Performance, Quality and Safety (PQS) pre-qualification for quality of medical devices and equipment as set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The company registered for the pre-qualification is Toyota Tsusho and this is the first refrigerated vehicle for vaccines in the world that has obtained PQS pre-qualification.

WHY PQS is important when it comes to vaccine transportation

PQS is a system for the qualification of medical devices and equipment by WHO that was established to promote the development of medical devices and equipment applicable for the United Nations' procurement as well as to set quality standards.

Medical devices and equipment which have obtained PQS pre-qualification also meet the equipment selection standards of agencies related to the United Nations and leading NGOs and charity organisations.

Toyota explains that it is easier for developing countries without their own qualification system for medical devices and equipment to receive support for transportation equipment procurement by using PQS as the qualification standard, and effective use of vaccines can be expected.

This refrigerated vehicle for vaccines can now be used under the international framework COVAX, which seeks to distribute vaccines for Covid-19 fairly to developing countries, and its use as a means of transportation for Covid-19 vaccines can also be expected across Africa.

How the decades old Toyota Land Cruiser was brought up to standard

The Toyota Land Cruiser 78 is equipped with the B Medical Systems' CF850 vaccine refrigerator.

The refrigerator has a storage capacity of 396 litres, or 400 vaccine packages. With its independent battery, the refrigerator can be operated for approximately 16 hours without a power supply. The refrigerator can be charged, however, by the vehicle while driving and from an external power source when parked.

If you’d like to buy a Land Cruiser, to deliver vaccines or not, you’ll be pleased to note that the Land Cruiser 78 ‘Wagon’ has been reintroduced to the South African market on a customer-order basis. A single model, powered by the tried-and-tested 4.2-litre diesel engine, is on offer to utility-focused buyers.