Doctors turn innovators to fight Covid-19

Mangaluru: In the wake of the pandemic, several young doctors attached to the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) have turned innovators. They showcased their skills at the Manipal Covid Challenge, organised by the Innovation Centre, MAHE and in collaboration with KMC, Manipal and Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr Aayush Poddar, intern, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangaluru, supported by a team of experts, has developed a digital triaging system, which is a Quick Response (QR) code that provides patients immediate access to a digital screening form. This is an attempt to reduce the crowd at the hospital entrances and waiting areas.
Speaking to TOI, Dr Poddar said, “A patient can use their smartphones and scan this QR code and subsequently fill in the form. The QR code provides a portal to screen patients based on their symptoms and travel history. Individual responses generate a unique outcome in the form of a colour-coded gate pass. The QR code linked triage system solves the problem of crowding and congestion, limiting unnecessary interactions and thereby the spread of Covid-19. We introduced the system to the dental college fraternity, who wanted the forms to be available in local languages and to check whether the user has logged on to the Aarogya Setu app.”
The team includes Dr Ramya Shenoy and Dr Madhura Sen, faculty, MCODS, Mangalore; Dr Prashansa Bansal, intern, KMC Manipal; Ramya Lokesh, faculty; Sushant Lenka, Kush Gupta, students, Manipal Institute of Technology and Rakesh, deputy manager KMC Hospitals, Mangaluru.
Device to fight cross contamination of infection
Dr Mahima Mishra, intern, MCODS, Mangaluru, currently stuck in Siliguri in West Bengal due to the pandemic was selected as the winner for her project Aerovacuator in the apps, devices, and web category of the Manipal Covid Challenge. Aerovacuator is a low-cost negative pressure, extra-oral, and an aerosol suction device to effectively capture and safely eliminate the aerosols.
Dr Mahima said, “The portable device aims to reduce the risk of cross-contamination of infection between dental auxiliaries and patients in a dental office. Aerovacuator filters the captured aerosols through primary high-efficiency particulate air and disinfects with UV-C light. The waterline is also flushed with 70% isopropyl alcohol for decontamination. Components of the Aerovacuator are detachable and made up of stainless steel, which is easy to autoclave.” Mentored by Dr Arun Shanbhag, chief innovation officer, MAHE, she said as research on the device continues, she hopes to present the idea before the ministry of human resource development.