UniBen seeks funding for mass production of ventilator

The  12-member team of the University of Benin (UniBen), which has  constructed a ventilator,  is appealing for funding from the government and private donors to mass produce the device.

The leader of the team, Prof Kessington Obahiagbon of the Faculty of Engineering of the institution, said the device has been adjudged reliable by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), considering the technical input which makes it different from imported ventilators.

“The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has given us a clean bill after coming physically for the demonstration of the prototype ventilator using the artificial lungs,” Obahiagbon said.

He explained the mileage the device has over the imported ones.

“Our ventilator not only met but surpassed the internationally-acceptable standard for a ventilator due to the technical input. So, once we get the financial support and other necessary aid from the government and private bodies, we will commence the mass production of the ventilator,” he said.

About three weeks ago, the UNIBEN team  launched the device which Obahiagbon said formed a part of the institution’s contribution to the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), ventilators are needed for COVID-19 patients who suffer the worst effects of the infection which takes over the body’s breathing process when the disease has caused the lungs to fail.

The ventilator will, therefore, help facilitate the healing process of those infected by coronavirus, a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

It is a disease that has pneumonia symptoms, such as cough and shortness of breath, and can lead to the collapse of the liver and kidney and possibly death.

With the spread of virus globally, ventilators have become rare, leading to the need by countries to have the device manufactured locally to treat their infected citizens. And because of its spread, more ventilators are needed to take care of infected patients daily.

Obahiagbon continued, “Our aim is to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 by producing ventilators that will help facilitate the treatment of the virus. By mass producing the ventilator, it will not only serve as an economic benefit for the university, but the nation at large.

“This is why it is imperative that besides other donor agencies, the government should show enormous commitment towards the project. We are fully capable of the task at hand.”

Obahiagbon said members comprised lecturers across Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,  Production Engineering, as well as a professor of Anaesthesiology from the UniBen College of Medicine.

Obahiagbon recalled how the team leveraged the opportunity of the partial lockdown in Edo state to develop the device.

 “As you are aware, one of the critical symptoms of COVID-19 is difficulty in breathing. This is why the ventilator is important as it is used to supply oxygen to the patient.

“During the partial lockdown in Edo State, my team and I decided to intervene knowing full well that ventilators are a critical requirement in the treatment of Covid-19.

“We had to finance the project by levying ourselves to buy the necessary equipment for the assemblage of the ventilator. Luckily for us, we were able to source the materials locally.”

Furthermore, Obahiagbon described the ventilator as unique, saying that it has so many features that makes it one of the best in the world.

 “One of the unique features of our ventilator is that it can operate on a battery for at least one hour. This is a great invention considering the epileptic power supply in Nigeria. In this case, the battery can be used during an emergency situation.

“In addition, the ventilator can operate on solar energy which makes it easily usable in rural areas. We decided to input this feature into the ventilator because solar is the most reliable form of power presently and it is mostly used in the advanced world.

“With solar, we won’t have to spend much on electricity or generators to power the ventilator. As we all know, power supply has been hindering the usage of most ventilators and that is why we decided to add this feature to it.’’

Obahiagbon noted that the device would equally be useful in the event of having to transport a critically ill patient from one point to another via a vehicle or ambulance.

“Another unique feature is that the ventilator can also use the cigarette lighter point in a car,” Obahiagbon explained.

“This makes it very useful in carrying critically ill patients who need oxygen from home to hospital or hospital to hospital.

“Also, it will be helpful for inter-state movement of a patient. Let us assume we have a situation where a hospital is filled up and there is no bed space for a patient, a hospital with this ventilator can simply move the patient to another state where there is enough space without worsening the patient’s case,’’ he added.

Aside its portability, Obahiagbon said the ventilator has two modes which could be adjusted either for adult or children

“Another significant advantage of this ventilator is that in addition to using oxygen from an oxygen cylinder, it can also use direct air from the atmosphere,” Obahiagbon said.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN Prof Lilian Salami, praised the team for looking inward in seeking solutions to the pandemic.

Salami described the initiative as one of the fulfillments of universities mandate that is anchored on teaching, research and community service.

She said: “I am elated with the construction of this ventilator by UniBen. It is just the beginning of our greatness. “I’m also thanking Prof. Obahiagbon and his team looked inward in finding a solution to help facilitate the fight against COVID-19. “I am using this medium to encourage every expert in UNIBEN to believe in themselves and make more efforts to achieve greater success in their fields.”

Ifunanya Osakwe, a 200-Level Mass Communication student of UNIBEN, reports

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