Proudly made in Malawi: Poly designs low-cost coronavirus materials like ventilators, face-mask

Polytechnic’s Faculties of Engineering and Applied Sciences department has come up with low-cost materials and equipment which could be used as preventing measures in the fight against the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The materials include; low-cost ventilators to be used in  hospitals, 3D printable reusable face masks, a drone which could be used to transfer blood samples and other testing facilities from the rural areas, plastic face shields for safety of medical practitioners, hand sanitizers which meets the World Health Organization standard and leg operated water dispensers for easy and safe hand washing.

The polytechnic has come up with the life saving materials and equipment in collaboration with Design Studios.

Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, the Principal, Professor Grant Kululanga explained that as an institution which aims at providing solutions to the community, they formed  a Covid-19 task force, which,  through research came up with the innovative ideas.

“The next step is to protype them, scale them up and start producing in large quantities so that they should be accessible to the general public and hospitals.” Kululanga said.

The projects were performed by students from different departments of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Later each member of these teams presented their products and demonstrated on how they operate.