UNS – The lecturers from the Faculty of Medicine (FK) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Dr. Darmawan Ismail, Sp. BTKV (K), produce the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that can be used by the medical staff in carrying out their duties dealing with patients with infectious diseases. The PPE produced by the FK lecturer and team is named Surgeons of UNS Protective Equipment (SUNS Proque).
During a Press Meeting in FK Hall, Monday (30/3/2020), Dr. Darmawan said that along with the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia, including Solo, has made the medical staff to wear PPE while treating the patients. This is because the spread of COVID-19 is very fast. However, the current problem is the availability of PPE in several hospitals is limited. Even in several cities, PPE is hard to obtain. Based on this condition, Dr. Darmawan and his team take an initiative to create clothes that intended for the medical staff and can be used as a PPE. Certainly, this PPE produced by Dr. Darmawan and team is made from materials that can be easily obtained and very low production costs.
“Why medical staff? Because they have the highest risk to get infected due to direct contact with the patients,” said Dr. Darmawan.
Dr. Darmawan and his team create a prototype entitled SUNS Proque in approximately one week. The materials used for production are conjoined raincoat, plastic mica and headband, glue gun, scissor, plastic box and lid, double tape plaster, water filter gauze, smooth sponge, detergent solutions, and pieces of handscoon or plastic paper.
“Our reason in choosing raincoat because raincoat is made from a waterproof material, thus minimizing the fluid that entering the body. The process (to make the PPE) is easy, it needs an hour to make one PPE clothes,” explains Dr. Darmawan.
Dr. Darmawan added that this PPE covers all parts of the body including hands and face. Further, to minimize the risk of airborne a practical air filtration is made, which can be replaced easily. The airway for inspiratory and expiratory is (relatively) separated. Moreover, the whole upper body parts and the whole head is tightly closed (airtight). This is useful to eliminate the possibility of attachment due to the droplets are thrown on the face, hair, and mucosa (eyes, mouth, and nose), as well as eliminating the probability of inhaling the source of infection from the work area.
The air filtration will use sponge and detergent solutions because sponge has dense and irregular fibers, thus, the filtration is more optimal, maintain humidity, temperatures, and provides fragrance. As for the position of the air, filtration is located at the nape of the neck, thus, it is distanced from the source of infection and nose, as well as safe to be doused using detergent or antiseptics solutions. While expiratory airways are separated leads to the rear to get rid of moisture and heat.
“These PPE clothes are designed to have two separated upper and lower parts, thus if the staff need to defecate or urinate they do not have to remove the whole clothing. An internal mini fan is also installed to inhale external air through the air filtration, thus the user will feel lighter during the inspiratory and last longer,” he added.
The cost spent to make the SUNS Proque is Rp 79,900. However, because the PPE is equipped with power bank, thus there is an additional cost for power bank around Rp 100,000. “Therefore, the total cost spent is under Rp 200,000. Those who interested to use this PPE SUNS Proque can directly contact our team. We hope this PPE can be useful and help medical staff in treating the patients, especially patients with an infectious disease like COVID-19,” he concluded. Humas UNS/ Dwi