A few days ago, I started a Facebook group for Makers-Innovators, to find solutions on the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
Today, there more than 2000 innovators from more than 90 countries actively collaborating to find solutions. We are collaborating over projects such as DIY automatic ventilator, 3D Printed Face Mask designs, 3D Printed Face shields, sewn masks and open source PCR machine (Thermocycler) etc.
One thing that I’ve noticed is that as countries advanced in their stages of pandemics, they faced critical shortage of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as face masks, surgical gowns and face shields. Healthcare staff is facing such situation that they must work without adequate PPEs. Now our group volunteers are actively engaging with hospitals and doctors to provide home-made sewn masks and 3D printed shields. Since last two days, I’ve been co-ordinating between doctors and volunteers from Boston, DC, Chicago etc. The situation is no good there, due to limited supply of raw material.
There’s lot to learn for India and other preliminary stage regions of the world, from the experience of other advance stage regions. In India, there are limited curfews and general self-quarantine advisories, which is a good step. Now, these regions should focus on starting to make the home-made PPEs, so that there would be no critical shortage in case of advance stages of pandemic. At this point, it is not very difficult to source the material required. On the other hand, volunteers in US, Italy etc. are finding it difficult even to source the most commonly available materials. Hence I’m contacting and urging people in India to volunteer and start producing PPEs. Some volunteers have already responded and are working on it.
Overall the situation is very difficult, however collaboration is the only option we have. We have volunteers who have 3D printed hundreds of face shields and have sewn hundreds of masks. Some of them couldn’t even sleep, because healthcare facilities in their communities were facing critical shortage, and these volunteers were the only hope they had. I just wish to thank all the healthcare workers, public employees and all these volunteers for their hard work!
Link for the COVID-19: Makers Collaborative Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/588206271767058/