[Image Source: Nick Mangwana via Twitter]
Harare Institute of Technology has made a ventilator according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Publicity Nick Mangwana.
With a number of reports painting a dire picture regarding the number of ventilators nationwide, HITs efforts are commendable and will help alleviate pressure at local health institutions if the outbreak has a nationwide impact.
Nick Mangwana also claimed that the education institute also has the potential to produce 40 ventilators on a daily basis, which will be helpful given the current circumstances.
Covid-19 prevention efforts by other institutions
Outside of HITs hardware efforts the Ministry of Health also mentioned that they had partnered with the University of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Program to conduct awareness campaigns on COVID-19 in Budiriro 5, roadshow in Mbare and Glen view 1,3, 8.
Kufema Zimbabwe is also a private campaign to build and distributed ventilators and other components during the crisis.
2 comments
Capacity and execution are 2 different things. Zimbabwe has the capacity to be a 15 – 30 billion US dollar economy, but it isn’t. Just like HIT has the capacity to make 40 ventilators, but in the end it might not even make one. These gentlemen are good a publicity stunts.
How much does one ventilator cost to manufacture if a company wants to sponsor?
Have the ventilator been tested and certified to work?