By REBECCA MUSHOTA
THE University of Zambia (UNZA) is working on manufacturing a local
ventilator to help in the fight against COVID-19, the Vice-Chancellor
Luke Mumba said.
Professor Mumba said yesterday at the Ministry of Health when he made
a donation of testing reagents worth $41, 500, that the university was
working on various aspects in view of the COVID-19.
He said apart from hosting one of the two diagnosis centres in Zambia
for Corona virus, the university was looking into manufacturing a
local ventilator.
“We are also conducting research and surveillance of emerging
infectious diseases such as the COVOD-19 in Zambia as we have an
allocation of K3.7 million towards this. This will be done through the
Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and
Animals programme housed at the School of Veterinary medicine ,” Prof
Mumba.
He said the university was also conducting research to determine which
materials were effective to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Dr Chilufya said Government was happy with the leadership provided by
UNZA and the donation and was looking forward to the production of the
local ventilator.
Other organisations that made donations yesterday were the Zambia
Pakistani Association, the Round Table, the International Women’s
Organisation of Lusaka, the Zambia Local Authorities Workers Union and
the Association of the Indian Community in Zambia.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dora Siliya said Government was
grateful of the support by the Zambian organisations.
Ms Siliya said she was happy that Zambians had come forward to donate
anything they could including food.