Pictured here is MBHG BSL-3 manager Dr Nasiema Allie, responsible for all operations and safety related to infectious disease research carried out at MBHG, demonstrating how to use this PPE with the help of Dr Usha Lalla, head of the A5 Medical ICU at Tygerberg Hospital.
To assist healthcare professionals in the fight against COVID-19, MBHG has donated ten powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) to the value of R30 000.00 and loaned three accompanying battery packs to Tygerberg Hospital to ensure staff safety when performing high-risk procedures, such as intubation in which aerosols are generated putting them at great risk of infection.
This means that at any time, of the ten healthcare workers issued PAPRs, three can engage with COVID-19 positive patients simultaneously to perform life-saving high-risk procedures. The PAPR filters the air supplied to the hood through HEPA filters to remove all infectious particles and prevent infection. These units can be cleaned and disinfected to allow for reuse by the user, alleviating the burden of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage in the workplace.
This is just one of the many ways in which the academic and clinical state sectors are working together during this pandemic to ensure the well-being of our country.