Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
A team of technologists, engineers and other professionals in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi have fabricated a prototype of ventilator that is cost effective and efficient as part of their contribution to the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
The team also fabricated an Aerosol box that could be used to protect medical personnel who are treating COVID-19 positive patients from being infected.
They also fabricated an automatic spraying machine that could spray anyone going in and coming out of a room to avoid person to person spread of the virus.
The Vice Chancellor of ATBU, Professor Muhammad Ahmad Abdulazeez, explained that the fabrications were in line with the objectives of the university as a center of research and invention.
Abdulazeez explained that the university was motivated to go into the research and come out with the prototypes of the machines due to the high cost of procuring ventilators and other equipments needed for the treatment of COVID-19, Lassa fever and other infectious diseases in the country.
He, however, added that paucity of funds a major impediment to the mass production of the fabricated machines and called on the government at all levels to contact the university’s Mechatronics Engineering Department for the mass production of the machines at a moderate cost because “we are not in this to make profit but to contribute to the fight against infectious diseases particularly COVID-19 and Lassa fever.”
Abdulazeez commended the team that worked day and night to ensure the fabrication of the machines. He said; “Despite the ASUU strike and other issues, these people came out to ensure that we got to this point. They have demonstrated that they are patriotic citizens of Nigeria and have the people at heart. We are indeed grateful to them.”
The vice chancellor expressed confidence that the machines fabricated by the University would stand the test of time and compete favourably with those that are produced in any part of the world because “our people are qualified professionals who have been tested and certified.”
