COVID-19: ATBU invents ventilator | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
7th April 2020
In a bid to curtail any further spread of COVID-19 infection in the state, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, have developed a prototype of ventilator which is cost-effective and efficient.
A team of professionals which comprises of technologists and engineers also fabricated an aerosol box that can be used to protect Medical Doctors and other medical personnel treating a positive patient from being infected by placing the box to cover the head, mouth and nose of the patient.
They also created an automatic spraying machine that can effectively spray anyone going in and coming out of a room considering that one of the ways of getting infected is touching an object earlier touched by an infected person.
While conducting journalists round the invented machines, yesterday in Bauchi, the Vice-Chancellor of ATBU, Professor Muhammad Abdulazeez explained that the efforts are in line with the objectives of the University as a centre of research and invention which it has excelled in over the years.
“Considering the high cost of procuring ventilators and other equipment needed for the treatment of COVID-19, Lassa fever and other infectious diseases, the University decided to go into deep research and at the end was able to come out prototypes of the machines.”
“Lack of funds is the major impediment to the mass production of the machines, so I am calling on government at all levels to as a matter of urgency contact the Mechatronics Engineering Department of the University for mass production of the machines at a moderate cost because we are not in this to make profit but to contribute to the fight against infectious diseases particularly COVID-19 and Lassa fever”, he stated.
Abdulazeez commended the team that worked day and night to ensure the production of the machines saying, that despite the ASUU strike and other challenges, the team came out to ensure that the university had this achievement, adding that they have demonstrated that they have the people at heart.
The VC then expressed confidence that the machines created by the University can stand the test of time and compete with any other one from anywhere because according to him the team are qualified professionals who have been tested and certification.
Earlier, EduCeleb.com reported that the University of Benin and the University of Ilorin have started producing hand sanitisers as a response to the COVID-19 situation. Also, Abia State University developed a geographical tracking device and live COVID-19 risk map for Nigeria.