100 pc Kuwaiti initiative to make thermal scans
MoH to benefit for future needs
KUWAIT CITY, May 3: In parallel with the tremendous efforts exerted by the Ministry of Health, in response to the coronavirus, a great stride has been made toward manufacturing thermal scanners for coronavirus by Kuwaiti hands, in cooperation with a research medical team that includes a group of Kuwaiti doctors and engineers, reports Al-Rai daily.
The daily quoting a source pointed out that the team, within two weeks from the beginning of its work, was able to manufacture coronavirus scans through a 3D printer using PLA material, which is a safe and harmless body, and approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after obtaining approval from the Ministry of Health.
He announced that the scans should be subjected to a number of preliminary tests, including sterilization, safety, and initial clinical tests by surveying patients in Jaber Hospital with their consent. The coming weeks will see the manufacture of large quantities of scans (about half a million within a month). The scans will be presented to the ministry to serve their future needs.
He emphasized “advanced steps achieved in this project would not have been possible without the approval of the Ministry of Health led by Sheikh Dr Basil Al-Sabah and the Ministry Undersecretary Dr Mustafa Reda who provided them all facilities for the project, appreciating their efforts in this regard.”
The source explained “the initiative came as a result of the limited global companies that manufacture the scans coupled with the high global demand, and other logistical problems related to export and import between the countries, which led the team members to reserve and take the lead initiative in this project to ensure additional stockpile for the ministry during the coming period.”
He added that Kuwait has so far had sufficient number of scans, and thanks to its pre-emptive steps, been able to secure about 40,000 returnees from abroad within the comprehensive evacuation trips, as well as the daily swabs carried out in large numbers by the ministry among expatriates from different nationalities within the random field examination and tracking campaigns.