PPEs From Nigerian Academia: Flattening The COVID-19 Curve With 3D Printing And Locally Sourced Intervention

<title>Abstract</title>
<p><bold>Background:</bold>Personal protective equipment (PPE) supply shortages were a big issue in the fight against COVID-19 around the world at the onset of the pandemic, requiring all communities to find innovative ways to make and supply PPE for health workers, vulnerable people and the general public. To this end and in line with the WHO’s call for 40% raise in PPE production across the world, we sought to alleviate the PPE shortage and to support our local communities using 3D printing (additive manufacturing) and free and open-source hardware (FOSH). <bold>Methods:</bold>Utilising a 3D printer and off-the-shelf components, reusable face shields and face masks were produced based on open source designs. Off-the-shelf components included transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) visor, ribbon tapings and elastic bands for the face shields, as well as cushioning pads (clothed foams) and filters (sensitive tissues) for the face masks. Hygienic measures employed during fabrication included the assembly following safety protocols, disinfection of products with ultraviolet bactericidal lamps, ensuring hygiene during collection and distribution. Users’ real-life experience and feedback were utilised to modify and improve on quality and adaptability of the designs.<bold>Results:</bold>In a period of three months, over 400 reusable 3D-printed face shields and face masks were produced by a team of academics, for health practitioners, other professionals and people across the Olabisi Onabanjo University community and other cities within Ogun and Lagos states. <bold>Conclusions:</bold>More awareness is generally required on the potentials of 3D printing and FOSH in the global south, particularly in universities and research institutions where innovative alternatives to expensive equipment remain vital. Our feat corroborated and advocated these potentials in a low-income setting like Nigeria, where the immediate response and synergy between academics, and researchers yielded a substantial number of PPE to front line workers, in a timely manner at the peak of the viral transmission and lockdowns- a period wherein manufacturers of PPEs struggled to establish their commercial logistics. We emphasize the need for university managements to support academics and researchers strongly to deliver on much needed community support in crises time, and encourage governmental and non-governmental bodies to consider investing in this innovative self-reliant perspective through their research funding and managemnt programmes in a bid to achieving a lot more with the less funds.<bold>Trial registration:</bold>Not applicable.</p>