AIIMS plans to use ventilator prototype for COVID-19 patients

New Delhi [India], March 26 (ANI): Witnessing the global shortage of ventilators, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is mulling to utilise a prototype of ventilators for COVID-19 patients.

AIIMS is in talks with a private Indian company named AgVa Healthcare which has claimed to offer lightweight, handy and cheap ventilators, which can be used for COVID-19 patients if the need arises.

"Globally, there is a huge crisis of ventilators. So, we are exploring the way of using a prototype of ventilator for patients suffering from coronavirus. We are in discussion with the manufacturers who can give us in-house ventilators," Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS told ANI.

"We have placed orders for ventilators from international companies, in case we do not get for some reason.. then we should be prepared for it. Also, our expert committee team is evaluating whether these prototypes of ventilators can be used on high-risk COVID-19 patients and how much it is beneficial for patients."

A senior doctor informed that they have checked the parameters and features of the prototype of ventilator and an assessment is still ongoing.

According to doctors, during the treatment of pneumonia patients who are in a critical stage, treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a must which is monitored by advanced medical equipment.

A ventilator is a machine designed to provide mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver air to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.Explaining about the hospital patient care services in AIIMS and its centres amid COVID-19 outbreak, Guleria said: "Emergency services are functioning normally. A screening area has been developed for suspected COVID-19 patients with designated areas. All the inpatient wards in AIIMS hospital have been earmarked for non-coronavirus emergency patients who require admission. Operation theatre services are only for emergency cases."

The AIIMS hospital is working to strengthen the ICU facility and 20 to 30 beds ICU facility has been provided at the trauma centre and burns and plastic ward.

"At AIIMS, we are continuously working to strengthen the ICU facility. We have created 20 beds ICU facility at the trauma centre, 30 beds ICU has been designed at burns and plastic ward. At AIIMS Jajjhar, we have about 800 beds facility. As of now, we have kept about 50 beds of isolation and 25 ICU beds. We have also placed 150 additional beds in the ward," AIIMS Director informed.

He further informed that patients suspected to have coronavirus disease will be sent to the ground floor area of burns and plastic surgery block which is dedicated unit for coronavirus treatment while patients with severe illness meeting criteria of suspected coronavirus virus disease will be admitted in designated area of apex trauma centre.