The Heated Humidified Oxygen Therapy Unit, manufactured by the Sri Lanka Air Force for patients with respiratory difficulties, was officially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, May 12.
In order to face the imminent shortage of ventilators in the country in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Heated Humidified Oxygen Therapy Unit was innovated with the contribution of Professor Ranil De Silva, Dr. Thilanka Ratnapala and a team of medical experts on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and as a concept of Vidya Jyothi, Dr. Bandula Vijay, who is a renowned ambassador in the international innovation arena.
The device is capable of delivering temperature-controlled oxygen with full humidity at high capacity to patients with respiratory complications.
The Maintenance Unit of the Air Force Engineering Corps manufactured the unit under the guidance of Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana and supervision of Group Captain Prasanna Martino.
After inspecting the limitations, safety features and performance standards, the unit was presented to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) of Sri Lanka and the Moratuwa University has confirmed compliance with the Electrical Safety Standards.
Although it has been earlier estimated that Rs. 1.5 million would be needed to manufacture the unit, it has been completed at a lower cost of Rs. 300,000.
At present, 50 kits are planned for production and will continue to be manufactured as required by the health sector
