Federal College Commences Mass Production of Ventilators

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy in Enugu, Enugu State, has blazed the trail in the production of ventilators, sanitizers and face masks, as part of its own contributions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the country and the world.

According to a statement issued by the institution’s Head of Public Relations, Mr. Omololu Ogunmade, at the weekend, the Rector of the College, Dr. John Emaimo, said the hospital team had discovered that turbine gas-powered ventilators are more effective than those powered by electricity.

The statement quoted the Rector as adding that operations of electricity powered-ventilators would be disrupted whenever power supply fails while gas powered-ventilators can function uninterrupted for many days.

He stated that the unique invention had attracted the interest of the authorities of National Orthopedic Hospital.

Emaimo said when the hospital team visited the college to examine the quality of the ventilators, they commended the college for the initiative.

The rector added that the college was prepared to patent the products by selling the rights to produce the ventilators to a company that will in turn be paying it for its initiative.

The statement said the college has also produced large quantities of face masks, face shields and sanitizers, and distributed them to appropriate places for the people to use.

He said the college donated 50 samples of face masks and bottles of sanitisers respectively to the Federal Ministry of Health.

Explaining how the college achieved the feat, Emaimo said different departments of the school produced different items.

According to him, the college Biomedical Engineering department produced the ventilators; pharmacists produced the sanitizers, while entrepreneurship department produced the face masks and face shields