BUK produces ventilator as COVID-19 cases rise in Kano

A ventilator produced by the Bayero University, Kano, was displayed at the university on Friday.

With 219 cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday evening, Kano is currently the second state with the highest number of confirmed cases in Nigeria.

The BUK emergency ventilator team led by Ibrahim Abdullahi, a professor of mechanical engineering and head of the university’s emergency ventilator team, said the production of the machine is part of the institution’s commitment to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the locally produced ventilator has the capacity of operating in two modes, and has a controller that works according to the patient’s requirement.

The chairman disclosed that one ventilator was produced at a cost of N500,000, adding that the university is making plans for mass and commercial production of the ventilators.

“Due to the present COVID-19 pandemic, the university saw the need to contribute to the fight against the deadly pandemic. We came up with this idea,” he said.

“The ventilator operates in two modes. In mode one, the ventilator breezes for the patients. In mode two, the ventilator complements the breezing for the patients.

“It has ranges for the clinician to tune a particular breezing frequency to support the life of the patient.

“We produced one unit of the ventilator at the cost of N500,000. We used locally available material and locally available technology.

“In the next step, we will produce and test for animals. What we have now is the prototype.

“We are making plans to engage companies so that we can go into mass production. For now, as a university, we produce in batches. We shall soon partner with companies for commercial production.”

Similarly, a group of researchers at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) had produced a clinically tested ventilator to aid the management of COVID-19 patients in the state.

The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), a parastatal under the ministry of defence, had also produced a ventilator known as DICOVENT and personal protective equipment to address the shortage of medical supplies in the country.

In a telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari, US President Donald Trump had promised to send ventilators to support the country in its fight against the pandemic.