DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña
MANILA -- Officials from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Monday urged fabricators to adopt the design of the specimen collection booth (SCB) the agency made as part of efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.
In a virtual presser, the DOST shared the design by the Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise (FAME), a startup company it previously helped.
The design was shared for free so that the design details would be followed to ensure safety, said DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña.
"Last April 8, the DOH (Department of Health) sent us a letter, asking us to design and fabricate SCBs and give these to 132 hospitals across the country. It (booth) was designed to minimize the contact of health workers to the patient," he said.
The SCBs were already tested in at least four hospitals, and the results are good, dela Peña added. The remaining units will be distributed to hospitals in the National Capital Region as well as in various regions.
"Of course there are more hospitals that would need the SCBs. So we are sharing the design so that fabricators can also make these and give these to those in need," he said.
Each booth must have two monobloc chairs, semi-disposable untextured nitrile gloves, disposable clear plastic gloves, disinfectant dispenser, and a plastic bag for disposing of used plastic gloves.
Other specific details were the following:
* The booth structure is made of angle bars for the frames, plywood walls, and clear water-proof acrylic window. The booth measures 1m x 1.5m x 2.25m (L-W-H).
* The booth is equipped with a 0.5 horsepower window type aircon and a roof-mounted ventilator with filter.
* A heavy-duty 4" caster wheel is provided for mobility.
* The slanted specimen table is ergonomically designed to provide enough leg space for both the patient and the tester.
* Positive pressure is maintained inside the booth using a pressure sensor to prevent contamination from getting inside the booth.
* The SCB is also equipped with a Bluetooth speaker for a clear and audible conveyance of instructions to the patient.
"We are continuously looking for solutions to help our front-liners," Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) executive director Enrico Paringit said in the visual presser.
It is important to follow the design of the SCB, to ensure the health workers' safety, he added. (PNA)
