As African hospitals and healthcare workers brace for a likely avalanche of critically ill Covid-19 patients, they may soon be faced with a disastrous shortage of life-saving ventilators.

The grim reality of a global undersupply of ventilators means many who could have been saved by being placed on one, will die.

Africa, and by extension South Africa, is not currently on the top of supply lists.

AFRICAN SOLUTION

Efforts to find an alternative solution to produce or procure ventilators is a critical feature of the South African government’s immediate focus.

A UK-based company named Penlon is seemingly reluctant to help SA reproduce a potentially life-saving mechanical ventilator it first produced nearly 40 years ago, because it was "marketing" the machines.

South Africa identified the Penlon Nuffield 200 machine as a perfect device to attempt to reproduce, as it was devoid of electronics, did not require electricity to work and would be considerably cheaper to build than more sophisticated ventilators.

SA Request to UK Company

"Our group that is composed of doctors, engineers, industrialists and government have identified the Nuffield 200 vent as the most ideal ventilator to introduce into the market. Clearly the opportunity to procure thousands of these units from your esteemed company immediately is not realistic,

"We have chosen to start reverse engineering some old N200 units that we have, with the view to establishing a large scale modular manufacturing setup with the ultimate aim to produce these units in significant numbers in the next week or so,"

"We are appealing to your esteemed company on humanitarian grounds to urgently make all your production drawings and quality documents available to us so that we can fast track this development."

THE RESPONSE

Penlon chief executive Guru Krishnamoorthy responded:

"We are currently marketing Nuffield ventilators and hence transferring all drawings etc would be difficult"

The company declined to comment further.

As of Saturday, 28 March South Africa had recorded 1187 cases of the Covid-19.

The country has an estimated 4 000 ventilators in the private health sector, and about 2000 in the public sector.


https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/uk-company-seemingly-wont-help-sa-with-ventilators-marketed-as-simple-solution-for-coronavirus-20200329

They even have an approximately 6000 ventilator, Nigeria nor even get reach 500. We are really doom in this country.

Nairalandmonika:
They even have an approximately 6000 ventilator, Nigeria nor even get reach 500. We are really doom in this country.

Out of interest - is there any possibility to manufacture in Nigeria. Anything in the pipeline there?

TMKsouth:


Out of interest - is there any possibility to manufacture in Nigeria. Anything in the pipeline there?

I don't really know for the Nigeria govt. Any chance of manufacturing now depends on the federal government.
Honestly I have given up on this country. If the virus wan catch everybody make he catch. Some will die some will survive.

Nairalandmonika:

I don't really know for the Nigeria govt. Any chance of manufacturing now depends on the federal government.
Honestly I have given up on this country. If the virus wan catch everybody make he catch. Some will die some will survive.

I read your president is addressing the nation tonight. Maybe some direction will be given there.

TMKsouth:


I read your president is addressing the nation tonight. Maybe some direction will be given there.

Fûck him and his speech.

TMKsouth:


I read your president is addressing the nation tonight. Maybe some direction will be given there.

E be like say this one no know say na rubbish and useless things Buhari dey talk during critical situations

kaluxy007:

E be like say this one no know say na rubbish and useless things Buhari dey talk during critical situations

Maybe there's a plan coz I see your numbers are gonna pass 100 today. Maybe a nationwide lockdown.

Strange

Fidelismaria:
Strange

Yeah, the West's gonna get all the rich pickings before the rest of us.

TMKsouth:


Maybe there's a plan coz I see your numbers are gonna pass 100 today. Maybe a nationwide lockdown.

Necessary steps should have been made after the first case was discovered but they instead chose to put the lives of Nigerians at risk, they thought the virus wouldn't get to them

kaluxy007:
Necessary steps should have been made after the first case was discovered but they instead chose to put the lives of Nigerians at risk, they thought the virus wouldn't get to them

This is the result of electing aged, illiterate and religious bigots as president. May be next time Nigerians will elect otherwise

kaluxy007:
Necessary steps should have been made after the first case was discovered but they instead chose to put the lives of Nigerians at risk, they thought the virus wouldn't get to them

Just caught up on the speech. Seems people still expressing your point of view.

TMKsouth:


Yeah, the West's gonna get all the rich pickings before the rest of us.

It's good that SA is being proactive.

holsconcept:


This is the result of electing aged, illiterate and religious bigots as president. May be next time Nigerians will elect otherwise

Hmmm

TMKsouth:


Out of interest - is there any possibility to manufacture in Nigeria. Anything in the pipeline there?

I think a local auto manufacturer, Innoson vehicles, had hinted of interest to convert his vehicle assembly plant to ventilator manufacturing, if only our Government is serious and proactive like yours.
Since Nigeria is a failed state, maybe you guys can come patronise him, Nigeria doesn't usually value what they have until they lose it.

Commonsense99:

I think a local auto manufacturer, Innoson vehicles, had hinted of interest to convert his vehicle assembly plant to ventilator manufacturing, if only our Government is serious and proactive like yours.
Since Nigeria is a failed state, maybe you guys can come patronise him, Nigeria doesn't usually value what they have until they lose it.

Since the continent is last in line for consideration African leaders should come up with common manufacturing projects, sharing resourcing. Hopefully Ramaphosa as the current AU chair can push for this.

Couldn't help notice that this Nuffield 200 would have been the perfect solution to your thread regarding poor electricity production in your country.

https://www.nairaland.com/5754924/corona-virus-there-no-constant