This is a historical moment. Before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped Indonesia, we had never produced our own ventilator. We hope the innovation will not only be developed for emergency use during the pandemic, but it would also advance to the industriaJakarta (ANTARA) - Research and Technology Minister and National Research and Innovation Agency Head Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro ecstatically declared that locally made Portable Ventilator Vent-I Essential 3.5 type Continuous Positive Airways Pressure had obtained the international certificate.
"This is a historical moment. Before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped Indonesia, we had never produced our own ventilator. We hope the innovation will not only be developed for emergency use during the pandemic, but it would also advance to the industrial level," Brodjonegoro affirmed here on Wednesday.
The ventilator is a collaborative product of PT Panasonic Healthcare Indonesia (PHCI) and PT Rekacipta Inovasi ITB, an affiliate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), supported by PT Layani Nahdlatul Ulama.
The new variant of Vent-I has met the international medical device standard -- the International Electronical Commission (IEC 60601) -- and the ventilator requirements standard (IEC80601) in addition to the EN55011-CISPR 11 electromagnetic compatibility standard.
Director of PT Panasonic Healthcare Indonesia Dewanto Hari Sulaksono stated that the product, designed by ITB and produced by PHCI, offers high-performance accuracy and efficacy.
"This device is effective and highly needed in an emergency situation to treat phase-2 COVID-19 patients, those who can breathe independently but have low oxygen saturation," he explained.
The minister is optimistic that with the development of the product, the country's dependence on imported products would reduce.
Deputy House Speaker Rahmat Gobel expressed hope that Indonesia's Vent-I production would be followed by other domestic products through collaboration between academic institutions and the industry.
Gobel called on the government to support the development of domestic products and accord priority to local products in its state budget expenditure.
"I hope this cooperation would continue to lead to the creation of various products, so that our domestic market would not be dominated by imported products. Lest our state budget be used mostly for import," he stated.
Related news: Minister appeals to medical workers to get vaccinated soon
Related news: General public to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots in February: Jokowi
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Martha Herlinawati S, Sri Hary
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
