Students at one of South Africa’s prestigious universities have temporarily set their textbooks aside to join the country’s fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel said on Monday that the students are producing facial masks for coronavirus patients at hospitals to assist medical personnel in their frontline battle against the disease as the country remains on a 21-day national lockdown.
The initial hundreds of face shields the university has produced have already been delivered to hospitals in Johannesburg, the official said.
She appealed to well-wishers for funds in order “to take the project up to scale in order to assist stricken patients” of the pandemic which has so far killed 11 people in the country.
“The university is grateful for any contribution that anyone makes, however large or small. This initiative aims to save lives of many people,” the spokesperson said.
Another local institution of higher learning, the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein, has also joined the battle against pandemic by providing respiratory support strategies for coronavirus patients, the CUT said.
The institution is developing 3D print masks for patients. The masks would provide non-invasive ventilation and continuous airway pressure, the CUT said.
NM/jn/APA