COVID-19: Military manufactures ventilator, sanitizer, protective kits to cub pandemic

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigerian Military yesterday announced that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), has produced ventilators, sanitizers protective kits to help in the fight against Covid-19.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, while giving update to journalists, on the activities of the military to curb the pandemic, Major General, John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, said the inventions were in response to the charge by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin’s directive to the Armed Forces to articulate strategic intervention to support the government fight against the COVID 19 Pandemic,

He said DICON, under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Victor Ezugwu, started with the production of over 1500 dozens of DICSanz, a high-quality hand sanitizer produced under very strict environmental conditions, requested by the COAS Lt Gen TY Buratai for supply to troops of the Nigerian Army.

“This product is at the last stage of NAFDAC registration in line with extant due diligence provisions.

“Furthermore, DICON has responded to the directive by Honorable Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd) for the Armed Forces to support the indigenous capacity of Nigeria, to support Medical workers by producing thousands of high quality non permeable Personal Protective Equipment kit.  Each unit of these kits consists of standardized gowns, face shield and nose masks. They are currently being produced in large quantities for use by Kaduna State Government and other national stakeholders.

“In addition to these, DICON   engineers, consultants and medical teams have successfully produced a digital mechanical ventilator known as DICOVENT. The newly designed low-cost machine is a simple mechanical ventilator that can deliver positive pressured ventilation using a volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) system. The ventilator has undergone thorough scrutiny and assessment  by specialists from top ranging hospitals and experts in the country including Cedar crest Hospital Abuja, 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna amongst others . It is important to mention that while DICOVENT may not be able to meet the high demands of critical patients, it can be used for Continuous Mandatory Ventilation (CMV) and Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation ( IPPV).  It can also be used for invasive ventilation and non-invasive ventilation using an endotracheal tube and mask respectively.

“Suffice to note that these inventions by DICON including those by other military institutions of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air force as well as Nigerian Defence Academy have given bright hope to Nigeria healthcare infrastructure on the fight against COVID 19.”

Enenche, added that the efforts of DICON in producing the COVID 19 equipment has been assessed, commended and approved by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Mr Boss Mustapha, the Minister of Health, Prof Osagie Ehanire and Permanent Secretary; General Service Office (GSO) Sir Olusegun Adekunle.

On his part, the Director General of DICON, Maj. Gen. Victor Ezugwu,
said that the equipment which were locally made will assist the government in fighting the pandemic.

“This is our own way of assisting the government in the fight against coronavirus. The equipment are cheap and affordable because it is not meant to generate profit but to contribute in ending the pandemic.”