Steel firm develops ventilator to boost fight against virus

Kenya Hydraulics Limited, a steel-making company based in Industrial area, Nairobi, has developed a ventilator, joining the list of local firms that are coming up with innovations related to Covid-19 response.

Speaking to People Daily on Monday, the company’s managing director, Balvinder Singh Sangoo said they had taken up the call by government for corporates to develop local solutions that will help the country defeat the virus.

Sangoo said the ventilator, which can either be powered by a solar panel or a battery, will be easy to use.

Donate machines

“As a company we are concerned and that is why we have decided to make ventilators to mitigate the shortage experienced in the country,” he said.

Sangoo said, the device would indicate critical information such as respiratory pressure and frequency.

If the device is approved, Sangoo said, the company has the capacity to produce close to 30 machines  per day.

“As a way of giving back to the community, as a company we will also donate 10 machines to different facilities after they have been approved by the Ministry of Health. 

“We have tested this device and we are comfortable that the device has met all parameters that are necessary to help someone to breath,” he added.

The MD said the device also had the capacity to detect oxygen rates and would also give enough pressure and enough volume required to ventilate a patient.

The adage ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ has proved to be true as different companies are doing their best to boost containment efforts being spearheaded by the government especially in production of ventilators, a key life-saving resource for persons with acute coronavirus symptoms.

The innovation by Kenya Hydraulics Limited comes a few days after Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) approved prototype ventilators developed by local experts in various companies.

Kenya Association of Manufactuers KAM has also developed a ventilator which will be used in different hospitals after approval by Kebs.

The ventilator dubbed PUMUAISHI 2.0 is set to be patented and will be supplied locally and later produced for the export market.