Monrovia – One of the key pieces of medical equipment, in the fight against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-nCoV-II that some of the most powerful nations seem to have run short on supply, is now being produced locally in Liberia from medical scrap materials.

By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Ventilator, which until few weeks ago, seemed to have completely gone out of stock in the US as various state governors tussled with the Federal administration over who needed the little on hand the most.

Why Is Ventilator So Important and Cost

Simply put, a ventilator takes over the body’s breathing process when disease has caused the lungs to fail. This gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover. It moves breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently.

A hospital-grade ventilator is a costly machine — running between US$25,000 and US$50,000. Because the coronavirus, in extreme cases, can cause breathing difficulties, these machines are vital to saving lives during the pandemic.

One Ventilator in Country

In Liberia, there are reports that the country may only have a single ventilator, which is probably at the Charles H. Rennie Hospital in Kakata, Margibi County.

Even oxygen canisters are also very limited in supply in the nation’s health facilities.

So manufacturing it locally to make it affordable on the market is worthwhile.

The builder of the local ventilator, Mr. Hans Goldman, a German Biomedical Engineer told FrontPageAfrica recently that his goal is to help the Liberian healthcare system to have the breathing-aid machines in hospitals and the Covid-19 Treatment Units (CTUs).

FrontPageAfrica met Mr. Goldman at the head office of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council (LMDC) where he had gone to display how the life-saving machine works.    

The LMDC is an autonomous agency with exclusive powers and authority to regulate and monitor the practice of Medicine and its members within Liberia.

According to Mr. Goldman, his simple ventilator can be built by any good bio-technician.

“It took me four weeks to build it because this is health emergency period,” he said, adding: “Now, I am trying to go through the process of certification so that government or any private health facilities can use it.”

“The ventilator has all the needed pieces on big ventilator. This machine is portable and can be easily moved from room to room,” Mr. Goldman, who used to teach at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, said.

The medical Bioengineer said the good thing about the machine is that all of its parts can be found right inside Liberia at various health facilities.

He also disclosed that he didn’t build the machine alone, even though he supervised the process. He said he was helped by one of his brilliant students, whom he used to teach at BWI in Kakata.

I want to help; I don’t want to get a million dollar from it. I am just looking forward to getting my exact money that I spent to produce it. At the same time, I look forward to teach local technicians to learn how to manage and maintain the machine properly.

Biomedical Engineer, Hans Goldman

Cost of His Machine

On the cost, Mr. Goldman said the total cost of the machine will be around US$4000, which according to him will include certification and other production costs.

“I want to help; I don’t want to get a million dollar from it. I am just looking forward to getting my exact money that I spent to produce it. At the same time, I look forward to teach local technicians to learn how to manage and maintain the machine properly.”

JFK Hospital’s Biomedical Technician

Making remarks, Mr. Wilfred Lawrence, JFK Hospital’s Biomedical Technician said such unit was greatly needed in hospitals and CTU as it will help save lives in those places.

Mr. Lawrence said he had done some checks on the machine in order to know its efficiencies, including electrical and safety of patient. “I checked the safety alarm, running time and maintenance, I saw that it is indeed good for our country’s health facilities.

He used the occasion to urge the Liberia Medicines and Health Regulatory Authority (LMHRA), the body responsible to certify the product’s usage in Liberia, to go ahead and give Mr. Goldman his license to produce the machine.

Dr. Jerry Brown on Ventilator

On Friday, April 10, responding after the Indian Community in Liberia had made a donation to the Covid-19 fight, Dr. Jerry Brown, who is the lead doctor at the 14 Military Hospital, the nation’s main CTU, thanked God that all of his patients have all been stable and none has had any critical complications so far that will require ventilator or oxygen. Dr. Brown, who is the General Administration of the JFK Hospital, however, appealed for ventilator and other vital equipment to be brought at the 14 Military Hospital.

Boys Town, Margibi – Indians living in Liberia have made a “huge” donation to the medical personnel and the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia assigned at the 14 Military Hospital in Margibi County.

The 14 Military Hospital is where more than 25 of the country’s over 35 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 are being kept, observed and given supportive treatments.

Honorary Indian Consul General

Before he presented the items which were in the buckets of nine trucks, the Honorary Consul General of India, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, who is popularly known in Liberia as Jeety, told the Liberians doing all to save lives at the 14 Military Hospital that on behalf of Indians living in Liberia and as Honorary Consul General of India in Liberia, they had gone there to identify with them. 

“We are touched by the level of work done by doctors, nurses, janitors and all other health workers and the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia.

“We are so proud of you all for risking your lives to save others’ lives is priceless. I on behalf of Indians living in Liberia, we salute you for your courage, dedication, commitment to save each and every precious life in Liberia.”

Mr. Sachdeva singled out Dr. Jerry Brown, who was one of those leaders in the fight against the 2014 Ebola outbreak. “Now he has taken charge to defeat and win over COVID-19 Coronavirus. I would like to mention here with pride and honor the selfless commitment of Dr. Jerry Brown and his passionate love for his patients. He was the Man of the Year for EBOLA and he will be Coronavirus Hero in Liberia.”

He also informed Dr. Brown that he had honored his request and brought in the specific things he had asked him for a day earlier. “During my conversation yesterday and day before with Dr. Brown, he was very passionate and worried about the safety of health workers at the hospital and requested for 10 aluminum doors (5-double doors) which without hesitation and waiting for the donation ceremony, we delivered it yesterday. Also he requested us for folding hospital beds, nurses uniforms, bed sheets, pillow, pillow covers, electric washing machine and electric dryer among others.  Dr. Brown, we are pleased to inform you that we have brought everything as part of our donation.” 

The Indian diplomat, who said Liberia is their second home, than made one of the best announcements: “To honor the health workers (50) including doctors, nurses, janitorial staff, lab assistants etc., assigned at hospital, we have brought for them two bags of rice per head and in sealed envelope separately US$100 for each health worker. For Dr. Brown, we have brought envelope of US$1000 along with two bags of rice. We are also giving 100 bags of rice to the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who are serving at the hospital.”

Before he presented the envelopes and list of all the items on the trucks to Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, Mr. Jeety told Dr. Brown that the donation was an initial gesture from their community and that he (Dr. Brown) should feel free to call on them anything should there be a need.

Foreign Minister Findley

Responding, Foreign Minister Findley expressed President George Weah’s heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the donation.

“The President is very concerned on how we win this battle against this Coronavirus. He wants to see all Liberians joining together to fight this virus,” he stated.

The Foreign Minister congratulated the personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who were being led by one Colonel Dada, for the level of work they had done on the facilities, which is not fully operational as a hospital.

He than passed over the envelopes and one list of items to Dr. Brown and also handed a list, too, to Col. Dada for him to be in the know of the things donated by the Indians.

“We only pray to the Almighty God that as you all endeavor to do your work that God will guide, protect and save all of you,” he stated.

Colonel Dada, AFL

Also speaking, Col. Dada of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) thanked the Foreign Minister and Mr. Jeety; adding: “We are in this fight together with the nurses and doctors. We will ensure that we assist them in any way possible to make their jobs much easier.” He promised to convey to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia the 100 bags of rice that the Indians had given.

Dr. Jerry Brown

Also speaking, Dr. Brown, who now heads the medical team at the 14 Military Hospital, thanked Mr. Jeety and the Indian Community.

“It is not about the money for which the staff has decided to come here, but it is about ensuring that we all work together to restore peace and sanity in our country. As long as Corona continues to exist in our communities, neighborhood, in our country there won’t be peace.”

Dr. Brown, who was one of those who were on the frontline battling the deadly Ebola virus disease, appealed to every Liberian to adhere to all the health protocols.

“As you have come with these gifts, we have one passionate appeal to all Liberians. Please note that the coronavirus exists. If you have been doubting it, please know that it is in Liberia. Please adhere to those safety measures: social distancing is very important, washing your hands is very important, avoid large crowd. That is the only way we can all work together to prevent corona from spreading further.” He warned that if Liberians do otherwise, there will be many deaths and a long way to go.

Thanking Pres. Weah

He also used the occasion to thank the President for his vision to construct the facility that is now being used to host those who have come down so far with the virus.

“Had he not been visionary enough, today there would have been difficult have a site to attend to corona patients,” he said.

Update on Patients

Giving updates on the 26 confirmed persons who he and others are now looking after, he thanked God that his patients have all been stable and none has had any critical complications so far that will require some sophisticated medical equipment like ventilation, oxygen, etc.

He, however, appealed for those pieces of medical equipment that are needed at the 14 Military Hospital. He stated that efforts are being made by partners to supply them with those essentials pieces of equipment.

He controversially said those who have died as a result of the virus, “are those who refused to come for care when they were sick.”       

Items Donated

Among the 45 items presented to Dr. Brown and others were 100 cartons of Nice Biscuits, 10 cartons Digestive Biscuits, 100 cartons tissue, 200 cartons soap and 50 cartons Clora bleach. The Indians also presented 50 pieces of Hospital Folding Beds, 50 pieces Elegance single mattresses, 50 pieces pillows, 50 pieces bed sheets with pillow covers, five bails of Nursing Uniforms, one piece of LG Electric washer and one piece of LG Electric Dryer among others.