Team of researchers in the University of Lagos (Unilag) has developed an Ambuvalent ventilator, as part of its contribution to further tackle Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The project named 'Unilag/LASRIC Ambuvalent was sponsored by the Lagos State Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
The leader of the research team, AbdulHakeem Amuda, an Associate Professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, during the demonstration, said the project was an opportunity for the scholars to prove their mettle.
Prof. Amuda said the device is operational and has met the basic requirements as specified by the World Health Organisation, WHO.
He further said one of the outstanding features of the ventilator was its ability to work in remote areas and villages not connected to the national grid, as it is mounted with a battery that could last for 13 hours, and a trolley for easy movement.
Amuda said that the ventilator was designed to use 90 watts motor, adding that it was made in such a way that the motor must not be needed for 24 hours daily.
He said that a crucial component of the ventilator was that of delivering compression that would inflate the lungs as well as the microcontroller system.
”The journey of the development of this UNILAG/LASRIC Ambuvent started on March 27 when a colleague of mine, Dr Uzoma Oduah of the Department of Physics, walked up to me and muted that, as a result of the global shortage of standard ventilators at this period of the global health crisis, it would be good if Nigeria would start thinking ahead on what to do.
”This is because by the time the disease would hit this country, we should not be found wanting in the area of access to medical ventilators.
“He requested that I introduce him to an expert in respiratory track, in constituting a team.
“In constituting the team, I did that on a multidisciplinary approach, which includes physics, biomedical engineering, metallurgical and materials engineering and others.
”I was also able to get across to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, who incidentally, is from the College of Medicine, and she linked us with a respiratory track expert. That is how we hit the ground running,” Amuda said.
