Minister commends KNUST for producing a ventilator
The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has commended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) for producing a ventilator.
The Minister in a tweet said in the coming days, "we will have to engage and get the necessary approvals to procure and use some if need be."
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It’s exciting to note that researchers @KNUSTGH have announced the local production of a loca ventilator. In the coming days we will have to engage and get the necessary approvals to procure and use some if need be. Well done guys. pic.twitter.com/0dwNW4Idlx
— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) April 23, 2020
His comments come days after the College of Engineering (CoE), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) held a demonstration exercise to explain the working operation of a home-made prototype ventilator.
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The medical equipment, which is in the advanced stages of development, is a collaborative work between the College’s Computer Engineering Department and Michigan Technological University.
“The purpose of the demonstration exercise is to outdoor to stakeholders what the University is doing from its own perspective to augment access to quality healthcare delivery. We think this home-made ventilator could be of utmost importance to patients with breathing deficiencies and disorders if the project is taken up for further development, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic,” Professor Mark Adom-Asamoah, Provost of the College, noted.
In an interview with the GNA at the demonstration exercise, the Provost said less expensive materials and technology were used in building the portable ventilator.
Prof. Adom-Asamoah hinted that the collaborative work commenced three years ago, saying the intention was to use the ingenuity of student engineers and faculty members to address the inadequacy of ventilators.
Mr Eric Sackey Mensah, in-charge of the Regional Clinical Engineering Unit, GHS, said the authorities were happy that the CoE responded to the needs of the nation by coming out with the innovative automated home-made Ventilator.
He said they would be working with the University to complete the project, and see how best the medical equipment could be produced on a larger scale in order to serve the interest of health facilities in the country.
Prof. Kwame Osei Boateng, who is heading the KNUST side on the project, said the CoE estimated that the cost of the finished ‘KNUST Ventilator’ would go for about GH¢30,000 on the market.