DOST eyes mass production of ventilators via Project Ginhawa

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aims for mass production of ventilators through its 'Project Ginhawa' to address the critical shortage in the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Duterte urged DOST and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to increase their workforce and hasten initiatives against the pandemic, emphasizing his concern for the nation's welfare.

DOST presented three prototypes of locally-designed portable ventilators, named Ginhawa (ReliefVent), which are lightweight, less expensive, and equipped with advanced software features.

The ReliefVent ventilator is designed to run on both AC or DC power and is projected to cost 40 percent lower than other portable ventilators available in the market.

Several electronics companies have been identified as capable of producing the Ginhawa ventilators, with multiple groups, including Don Bosco and Mapua, volunteering to assist in the research and production.

The initiative aims to supplement the low number of ventilators in small hospitals across the Philippines, where obtaining imported ventilators has become increasingly difficult due to global demand.

Ventilators are crucial in assisting COVID-19 patients with respiratory symptoms during the ongoing global health crisis.