Pakistani engineers fix hundreds of ventilators to help virus patients — minister

[Shahzaz ud din]

Pakistani engineers fix hundreds of ventilators to help virus patients — minister

Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production, Zubaida Jalal, witnesses the engineers of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) repairing ventilators in Haripur on April 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Ministry of Defence Production)
Short Url
https://arab.news/67sb4

Updated 09 April 2020
SAIMA SHABBIR
April 09, 202013:02

• Says 100 specialized ventilator experts are providing free of cost services in 23 cities across Pakistan
• Pakistan has only 3,844 ventilators, National Command and Operation Center revealed on Monday

ISLAMABAD: A team of Pakistani engineers is working tirelessly to repair out of order ventilators catering to the growing demand of medical equipment resulting from global pandemic, said the country’s minister for defense production on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production, Zubaida Jalal, witnesses the engineers of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) repairing ventilators in Haripur on April 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Ministry of Defence Production)
“NRTC [National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation], which is also an establishment of defense production, is repairing out of order ventilators to deal with the shortage of the much-needed medical equipment, Zubaida Jalal told Arab News after her visit to NRTC and Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) which is also manufacturing face masks, hand sanitizers and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to contribute in the national fight against coronavirus outbreak.

She said, “109 ventilators were repaired and sent back to hospitals in the last 18 days by our volunteer engineers and technicians,” adding that “our team is working tirelessly to repair another 690 faulty ventilators.”

Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production, Zubaida Jalal, witnesses the engineers of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) repairing ventilators in Haripur on April 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Ministry of Defence Production)
Pakistan’s National Command and Operation Center revealed on Monday that the country only had 3,844 ventilators and 20 labs capable of conducting COVID-19 tests.

Out of these, the authority said 1,697 ventilators were in Punjab, 1,550 in Sindh, 400 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 74 in Baluchistan, 47 in Islamabad Capital Territory and 13 in Gilgit-Baltistan.

“A team which started from three volunteers has grown to more than 100 specialized ventilator experts who are working free of cost,” said Jalal, adding that “our volunteer teams are providing services in 23 cities of Pakistan.”

Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production, Zubaida Jalal, witnesses the engineers of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) repairing ventilators in Haripur on April 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Ministry of Defence Production)
“These true sons of our soil have been running around the hospitals during lockdown on their own and even purchasing parts from their own pocket to bring these breathing machines to life in this time of crisis,” the minister added.

She said that private hospitals could also seek help from these engineers if they agree to provide free medical help to coronavirus patients.

“Already nine private hospitals are employing services of our engineers with the pledge to provide free of cost treatment to COVID-19 patients,” Jalal said.

The NRTC engineers are also working in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), she informed.
The ministry of defense production said in an official handout released on March 25 that the country’s ordnance factories had attained the capability to produce 25,000 Face Masks and 10,000 liters of Hand Sanitizers on a daily basis to complement the ongoing national drive to fight COVID-19.

 

[Mugen]

Great work. We gonna make it brahs.

We will not make it unless we learn from our mistakes, which is something Pakistan and Pakistanis struggle with immensely.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

Pakistan to start manufacturing ventilators within weeks – science minister

In this photo an engineer in Engineers of National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) is seen inspecting ventilators in Haripur on April 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Ministry of Defence Production)
Short Url
https://arab.news/83rwu

Updated 11 April 2020
SAIMA SHABBIR
April 10, 202014:28

• Says clinical testing of ventilators is underway and licensing by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan will soon be done
• Out of 48 options, the Pakistan Engineering Council approved six machine designs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is going to produce its indigenous ventilators within the next few weeks as clinical trials of six locally designed machines have entered their final stage in two different hospitals, Pakistan’s Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry told Arab News in an interview on Thursday.

“Pakistan is going to get its indigenous ventilators very soon as the prototype of the much-needed medical equipment is with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for final clinical testing and licensing. DRAP has adopted British standards for clinical testing of the ventilators,” he said, adding that the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) was handling the “top priority project” to overcome the shortage of ventilators in the country.

The minister said there was an urgent need to locally manufacture ventilators due to the rising number of coronavirus patients worldwide that had made the import of the new equipment a difficult task. In an alarming development, the total number of COVID-19 cases surged beyond 4,600 in Pakistan on Friday with 66 deaths from the virus.

“The PEC received 48 designs of ventilators. Six of them were approved before they were sent to DRAP for licensing,” Chaudhry said.

The minister added that DRAP had started clinical tests of the machine, and its manufacturing would start immediately after the government got a nod from the drug authority.

“We have asked DRAP to cut down routine procedure and deal with the issue on priority. A prototype of the machine has been successfully tested at the Indus Hospital Karachi and the Combine Military Hospital. Once these ventilators will be manufactured, they will be available all over Pakistan,” he continued.

The cost of indigenously manufactured ventilators would be three times less than the imported ones.

“Initially, we are looking to manufacture 500 ventilators on priority to deal with the COVID-19 emergency. The PEC is also in touch with the Pakistan Heavy Mechanical Complex, Pakistan Ordnance Factories and National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) to fine tune the design,” he said.

Chaudhry added that Pakistan was also doing its research on coronavirus and would soon launch a research paper.

 

[Mugen]

I suspect you meant "something we struggle with" ? Well, this is a good example of Pakistanis learning and solving an error. Just gotta keep a record of this stuff to ensure you provide institutional memory to avoid the mistakes and have quick responses if those mistakes are made. I believe in Pakistan.

Edited, must be my tired brain.

Not only as Individuals but as a country too Pakistan does not seem to care much about learning. But this is a potentially damning trait when an enemy with much greater resources is sitting at the boarder, time is not a luxury we have.

 

[Safriz]

So out the only 3800 ventilators in Pakistan, many were broke and out of service?
Say what? This corona virus has been a blessing. At least the ventilators got fixed

 

[gangsta_rap]

This corona virus has been a blessing.

 

[jericho]

So out the only 3800 ventilators in Pakistan, many were broke and out of service?

Yup, this is one of the points Dr Atta-ur-Rahman mentioned (along with lack of trained staff to operate these machines) in an interview with other health professionals in Pakistan few days back

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/pakistan-covid-19-discussions-among-professionals.660898/

 

[Pakistan Ka Beta]

Again Pakistan Armed Forces are contributing , unlike few other institutions who just eat and talk .

 

[KhanBaba2]

Again Pakistan Armed Forces are contributing , unlike few other institutions who just eat and talk .

Is National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation part of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

 

[ziaulislam]

So out the only 3800 ventilators in Pakistan, many were broke and out of service?
Say what? This corona virus has been a blessing. At least the ventilators got fixed

Who is going to fix culture of miss treating and mismanagement in health sector..

Oh and there are even few people that know how to operate them

 

[Pakistan Ka Beta]

Is National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation part of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

“Initially, we are looking to manufacture 500 ventilators on priority to deal with the COVID-19 emergency. The PEC is also in touch with the Pakistan Heavy Mechanical Complex, Pakistan Ordnance Factories and National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) to fine tune the design

Not Part but controlled and run NRTC , PHMC , POF . 2 LT Generals Command POF , PHMC while NRTC is a bit small . These come under Ministry of Defence Production . PAC by PAF and KS&EW by Pakistan Navy ( 3 , 3 star heads like POF ,PHMC ) .
ned control over NESCOM given its role in the development and production of strategic weapons.

MoDP organisations[edit]

• Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO)
• Directorate General Defence Purchase (DGDP)
• Directorate General Munitions Production (DGMP)
  • Military Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (MVRDE)
  • Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE)
  • Institute of Optronics (IOP)
• Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT)
  • Heavy Rebuild Factory (T-Series)
  • Heavy Rebuild Factory (M-Series)
  • Advance System Rebuild Factory (ASRF)
  • Tank Manufacturing Factory
  • Armoured Personnel Carrier Factory
  • Gun Manufacturing Factory
• Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)
  • Aircraft Rebuild Factory (ARF)
  • Mirage Rebuild Factory (MRF)
  • Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF)
  • Avionics Production Factory (APF)
• Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited (KS&EW)
• Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF)
  • Wah Industries Ltd.
• National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC)
• Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) (export oriented conventional technologies & services developed by NESCOM)
  • Advance Engineering Research Organisation (AERO)
  • Integrated Defence System (IDS)
  • MSL (Maritime Systems Pvt. Limited)
  • Institute of Industrial Control System (IICS)
  • Al-technique Corporation (ATCOP)
  • Scientific Engineering & Technology Services (SETS)
  • Xpert Engineering Services

 

[insight-out]

Again Pakistan Armed Forces are contributing , unlike few other institutions who just eat and talk .

If you read the article, you will find mention of a number of civil institutions, including the Ministry of Science, DRAP, PEC, the hospitals where the testing is being carried out, not to mention the universities, and other institutions/corporations that submitted the 48 designs, from which the 6 were chosen.

This is an example of how different branches of the state, and even the private sector are working together and playing their part. Let us recognize that, and refrain from putting down every effort.

 

[Pakistan Ka Beta]

If you read the article, you will find mention of a number of civil institutions, including the Ministry of Science, DRAP, PEC, NRTC, the hospitals where the testing is being carried out, not to mention the universities, and other institutions/corporations that submitted the 48 designs, from which the 6 were chosen.

This is an example of how different branches of the state, and even the private sector are working together and playing their part. Let us recognize that, and refrain from putting down every effort.

Same for you , by the way i was talking about Judiciary and Parliamentarians role , while Army and security forces are the first to announce donations for COVID-19 funds , Dam Funds but still blamed for no Ventilators in DHQ or Civil hospitals , Why are there 47 ventilators in Isb ??? we have democracy after 2002 elections esp after 2007 . where are Parliamentarians ( majority ) to donate their Salary e.t.c and Judges oh they are a Joke . Army Soldier was Martyred last night in N. Waziristan , 2 in Mushak plane . firing on LOC , fencing on borders , Army on streets under Article 245 and still bad names from few People . They are not Perfect but far far better Pakistanis than these PPPs , PTMs, Achakzais , Judges e.t.c and kindly dont mention my comment if u dont agree with me .