In their effort to help the country fight COVID-19, the University of Botswana (UB) has donated face shields to the Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital.
Tipped as just the first phase of the prototypes they have designed, the University through their faculty of engineering in partnership with the faculty of medicine will also design masks and ventilators to assist patients with difficulty in breathing.
Speaking at the hand over ceremony, UB’s Dr Robert Batane said that UB through the faculty of engineering has teamed up with the faculty of medicine to come up with solutions against Covid-19.’
“We came up with prototypes that will assist in the fight against the virus. We have designed a shield that will assist the front liners, we also came up with the mask to assist patients with the supply of oxygen and the respiratory hood and finally the ventilators to assist those who would not able to breath on their own, ” he said.
For her part, Professor Nkomazana said,” I am reminded that as a University every single Motswana can lay a claim to this institution. We should be able to respond and be relevant to the needs of our society. This is a gesture towards that social accountability.”
When accepting the face shields, Thato Moumakwa, the Commissioning Manager at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital said, “We have been asked to perform as an isolation and treatment centre for Covid-19 and hence partnerships are important to us, partnerships such as the one we are gathered here for today. “
Moumakwa further explained that the personal protective equipment /clothing (PPE) will assist health workers who are at the forefront minimse exposure to the hazards and dangers they face on a daily basis.
” Global supply of PPEs is severely drained. It is possible that we find ourselves challenged in accessing the necessary PPE required by our frontline health care workers as they provide this much needed care. It is now best that we localise the devices and consumables required in this fight against Covid-19,” he said.
