07:05 PM
Wednesday 04 May 2022
(Masrawy):
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, received a report submitted by Dr. Mahmoud Saqr, President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, on the project to support the production of homemade respirators that the academy is carrying out under the name BioVENT A series. The report stated that the project is the result of a fruitful cooperation between the Ministry of Higher education and scientific research through the Supreme Council of University Hospitals as a main partner in clinical trials, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology as a main supporter of the project, the Arab Organization for Industrialization as a manufacturing partner, and Biobusiness Medical Devices, one of the emerging technology companies specialized in designing and manufacturing electronic medical devices, and the only one that It operates in this field in the Middle East and Africa.
The report indicated that the technical stages of completing the project began with the signing of a protocol between the Arab Organization for Industrialization and Biobusiness to find innovative solutions to confront the Corona pandemic, and to find a solution in particular to the problem of the shortage of respirators, and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology launched the “Apply Your Idea” program in April 2020.
Biobusiness’s proposal to design a high-flow oxygen device as the first class of respirators was approved, then launched the prototype of the high-flow oxygen device, and obtained approval from the medical services of the armed forces, and approval of the Medical Device Calibration Laboratory at the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, followed by conducting clinical trials in Cairo University Hospitals under the supervision of the Supreme Council of University Hospitals, and obtaining conditional approval from the Egyptian Medicines Authority as the first approval of its kind for this type of device issued by the Egyptian Medicines Authority, then the second model of the device was launched to start the process of converting the first sample into a usable product, and the production of the first A ready-made industrial model, where the necessary tests were conducted to evaluate it, to begin the stages of implementing the actual production, to announce the delivery of the first 50 devices to the Unified Procurement Authority for distribution to university hospitals in April 2022.
The report added that the project plan aimed to design an easy-to-transport respirator suitable for work in all environments, whether field hospitals, ordinary rooms or intensive care, as well as it can be used at home. The production process of the device is phased, starting with high-flow oxygen devices, then penetrating and penetrating, and attention to quality and elegance in design.
The BioVENT A series device features a heavy-duty blower that works up to 40,000 operating hours, and contains a nebulizer or nebulizer for use in the form of a mist for inhalation during treatment with the device, and it works with high flow technology as well as delivery at high speed, similar to the technology used in the American Vapotherm devices. It supports penetrating breathing modes similar to the V60 devices produced by the Dutch company Philips, and supports penetrating breathing modes similar to the technology of the PB560 device produced by the American company Medtronic.
The report added that the device provides the possibility of automatic control of fio2 or manual control, and is supported by a battery that operates up to 6 hours, and is equipped with an external humidifier and a bacterial respiration filter, in addition to the advantages of easy dismantling and installation of the inhalation and exhalation valves, which are useful in preventing infection and easy sterilization.
The report noted the high economic feasibility represented by this project, in providing respirators that are produced locally, and avoiding the negative effects of increasing global prices on the level of medical services provided to the Egyptian patient, especially with the crises facing the world such as the Corona pandemic. The devices locally are a golden opportunity for Egypt in terms of achieving self-sufficiency, reducing the import bill and the possibility of exporting to many countries that suffer from a shortage of respirators, such as African and Central Asian countries.
Saqr explained that Egypt is the first country in the Middle East and Africa to produce respirators with 100% Egyptian technology, and that the final product is already available for use in hospitals and serves patients efficiently, pointing to work to move forward in developing the production of the device to cover the categories of respirators that It includes 3 types: the high-flow oxygen device, the penetrating breathing device, and the penetrating breathing device, after obtaining the required approvals, noting the efforts made by the Academy to implement the long and complex stages to obtain approvals for this type of device by communicating with the responsible agencies from the Ministry of Health and Services Medical staff in the armed forces and many experts, and cooperation with engineers with different specializations, the device represents an Egyptian patent and work is underway to register it.
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