The Philippine-made low-cost ventilator “Ginhawa” can help gravely ill COVID-19 patients confined in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after it passes the ongoing human trials.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña was right on track when he envisioned their goals to intensify commercialization efforts for “Ginhawa”, one of the department’s accomplishments in the area of biomedical devices.

The locally designed portable ventilator called Ginhawa, also known as ReliefVent, is lightweight and much less expensive compared to imported ventilators.

A team of experts from different fields headed by Dr. Abundio Balgos had come together to build and provide a cost-effective, safe, and portable ventilator for ICU patients that can be used by a child or an adult.

Embedded with software for self-diagnostic cloud-based data analytic and protocols for operations and trouble-shooting, ReliefVent runs on both AC or DC power.

It weighs eight kilograms, producing compressed air. It can do controlled ventilation, assist-control ventilation, and synchronous intermittent mandatory ventilation.

It has an internal differential pressure transducer for detecting patient inspiratory efforts and refinement of the internal oxygen blender and humidifier, which is uncommon to most of the commercially-available ventilators.

Especially now in the time of coronavirus disease pandemic, hard-hit countries have highlighted the need for a portable, cheaper and easy to manage ventilator.

Early estimates reveal that potentially 70% of the world population could possibly be infected by the Chinese-originated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In fact, those affected “highly advanced” countries like Italy and China have revealed weaknesses in their health care as the uncontrolled infection has strained their system beyond their limits.

The ventilators have become crucial medical determinants for patients gravely affected by the virus. There simply aren’t enough ventilators to give relief or save people who need respiratory support. Hospitals and doctors make heartbreaking decisions who will get the ventilator and who will not.

The proponents of the project are currently seeking a manufacturing company as a partner for its commercialization.

With the COVID-19 pandemic raging on and with the latest technology in 3d printing, our Government and Businessmen could step up and fast track production of Ginhawa to fill the desperate need for crucial and life-saving ventilators not only for our country but for worldwide as well.

The ReliefVent, together with the UP NIH GenAmplify Rapid Test Kit for COVID-19, is one of the Filipino science tech innovations to be made commercially available this 2020.

SEND CHEERS in the comments below for DOST and its innovations like Ginhawa ReliefVent that can help ICU patients suffering from COVID-19!

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