By David Matthew C. Gopilan, DOST-STII
To support COVID-19 patients having breathing difficulty, the country's science agency has begun developing 3D printed ventilator and respirators.
Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said that ventilators in small hospitals are now depleting. "Lalonghumirap ang pag-import ng ventilator kasi nag-aagawan ng supply," the science chief mentioned during the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malacañang in Manila.
Two prototypes of 3D printed ventilator parts and respirator venturi valves were already turned over by DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) to the National Children's Hospital in Quezon City. DOST Sec. de la Peña explained that once these prototypes have worked well in the first recipients, they will proceed with mass production.
The respirator venturi valves serve as the connection between the oxygen mask to the respirators. Meanwhile, the ventilator would allow two patients to benefit from one ventilator machine.
"We have identified electronic companies capable of producing these... Eight groups have already expressed their interest to do the ventilator research", the Secretary said.
This ventilator research falls under DOST's GINHAWA project; Ginhawa in Filipino language means comfort or ease.
Ginhawa or ReliefVent has been pegged earlier this year by the science agency as one of its 20 programs, services, activities and research and development projects that will be pushed for 2020. This project that started in 2012 is intended to develop ventilators for both children and adults confined at intensive care units of hospitals.
Ginhawa researchers, headed by pulmonologist Dr. AbundioBalgos of the University of the Philippines Manila, expect their innovation to be around 40% cheaper than its counterparts in the market. His collaborators from De La Salle University, led by a biomedical technician Glenn Tuazon, have redesigned their product recently in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delivery of prototype 3D printed respirator and ventilator to National Children’s Hospital in Quezon City. (Photo courtesy of DOST-ITDI)
Respirator valves that connects the oxygen mask to the respirators. (Photo courtesy of DOST-ITDI)
Ventilator splitter, a design that allows two patients to benefit from one ventilator machine. (Photo courtesy of DOST-ITDI)
“Kasi po kapagdumami ang nasa ICU dadami ang demand for ventilators. At present, the average number of ventilators in small hospitals is very, very small fraction of what is needed. Secondly, lalonghumirap ang pag-import ng ventilator kasi nag-aagawan ng supply sa ventilator. So, we have this project called GINHAWA and actually we are already undergoing three prototypes and hopefully the prototypes will work in our test patients at ICUs. We can continue with mass production. We also have identified electronics companies capable of producing these. Nagtawagna kami ng ibana gusto magdevelophindilang UP Manila. So,nungFriday, meron nag-attend na around eight other interested groups to do the ventilator research.Ffor example, Don Bosco and Mapua have proposed nasabayannasila. Hindi namankailangannaiisanggrupolang ang gagawa; pwedenamansabay-sabay.”(Transcript of DOST Sec. Fortunato T. de la Peña during IATF Meeting)
