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BEIRUT, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon has been partly relying on its local producers and experts to manufacture equipment needed to fight against COVID-19 amid a shortage in hospitals' medical supplies.
Fadi El Shiti, business development manager at Phoenix Group, a Lebanese engineering company, told Xinhua that the company decided to produce ventilators due to a lack of the products after the outbreak of COVID-19.
"Our team, comprised of Lebanese designers and engineers, designed and manufactured 50 ventilators so far which are now in use by Lebanese hospitals," El-Shiti said.
Lebanon used to rely mainly on import for most of its needs including medical equipment. The country suffered from a steep shortage in medical equipment following the spread of COVID-19, noting that Lebanon faces difficulties in securing the needed amount of U.S. dollars for importing highly priced products amid an economic crisis.
"We managed to create a ventilator in only three months," El-Shiti told Xinhua while adding that ventilators are considered to be complicated equipment.
El-Shiti said that his company's aim is to meet local demand for ventilators, before exporting the product to other countries.
"We have priced our ventilators at an affordable price compared to ventilators produced in other countries to help Lebanese hospitals gain access to this product when needed," El-Shiti said.
Phoenix Group was also capable of manufacturing a machine that produces of masks.
Fadi El Saifi, machinery operations manager at Phoenix Group, said that his company manufactured a machine capable of producing up to 600 masks per minute or 600,000 masks a day.
Meanwhile, some Lebanese researchers are also doing their part in the fight against COVID-19.
Scientist Wassim Jaber explains that his invention, using nano-technology, can be applied to item surfaces to kill the virus quickly.
He also created a mask using nanomaterials which he said can kill COVID-19 if the virus comes in touch with the mask's fabric.
"The fabric used in the mask can be washed for over 30 times and still be efficient against COVID-19," he explained.
Jaber also created a protective gear for medical staff in hospitals with the same specifications.
Jaber explained that his products are currently being sold in the Lebanese market and he started negotiations with a foreign country to export his products.
Physics professor Maher Osman, with the Lebanese University, developed a protective suit which he said is able to kill the virus through heat technology.
"This suit is intended for use by paramedics in hospitals and individuals who have to be present in infected areas," he said. Enditem
