Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Hospital independently creates personal protective equipment (PPE) in the form of a face shield.
The step was taken as an effort to protect health workers at UGM Hospital in providing Covid-19 services. As is known, UGM RSA appointed as one of the Covid-19 service referral hospitals in Yogyakarta. Special Tower located in Gatotkaca Building opened to provide Special Polyclinic Services for Respiratory Tract Infections and inpatients for Covid-19 patients.
“Various obstacles are faced when providing Covid-19 services, one of which is the lack of infrastructure such as PPE,” explained the person in charge of Covid-19 service at UGM Hospital, dr. Siswanto, Sp.P., on Wednesday (15/4).
He said that in providing Covid-19 services, all health workers and service providers are obliged to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) according to standards set by WHO and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. However, at the moment, PPE is hard to obtain.
Starting from that condition, the Prosthetic Orthotic Unit of the RSA UGM Medical Rehabilitation Installation took the initiative to make a face shield. Face shield itself is a medical device that is used to prevent sputum sparks, sneezing, which can affect health workers when providing patient services.
Head of UGM Medical Rehabilitation Installation, dr. Guritno Adistyawan, Sp., KFR., explained that one of the materials used in making face shield 0.5 mm mica. The measure functioned to be more resistant to sputum or sneezing from patients. Then, polypropylene plastic for its foundation. The plastic used has a thickness of 2 mm to make it more stable, more reliable, and easy to clean or sterilize.
He said that making PPE itself did not cost much. Making one face shield only requires funds of around Rp. 30,000,00-50,000.
“In a day, we produced up to 80 face shields,” he said.
Author: Ika
Translator: Natasa A