The government, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, appreciates several findings of medical devices produced by researchers from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Appreciation was given in particular on some medical device innovations to combat Covid-19, including a swab room equipped with a Hepa Filter, a body temperature meter with a face scanner, VTM, RI-GHA Rapid Test, and a ventilator.
“This economically costly UGM’s work is expected to provide a sense of security and comfort within the community, mainly for economic activities with dense crowds such as markets, shopping centers, and tourist attractions to boost the community financially and hopefully the Indonesian economy will gradually revive,” said Dr. Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, as the keynote speaker at “Discussion on GeNose, Ventilator, RI-GHA Rapid Test, and VTM produced by Universitas Gadjah Mada” online on Sunday afternoon (31/1).
As an alumnus of UGM, Airlangga is very proud of UGM academicians’ enthusiasm and hard work in creating innovative medical devices during the Covid-19 pandemic. The various products designed were non-invasive products, which are also affordable, fast, and have high reliability, including the GeNose tool.
Airlangga said the Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on health and economic aspects. The number of people infected with this virus reaches up to tens of millions of people, and millions of them died due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to his perspective, loosening the lockdown posed a risk to increase daily cases, especially in the US and Europe. Accordingly, the recovery of the future economy is a challenge in line with handling the Covid-19 transmission.
He also added that Indonesia was trying to balance the handling of health and the economy. Indonesia is listed in a group of countries with the “best possible situation” where health and economic management could go hand in hand.
“Not losing one another and marked by a controlled mortality rate and the last GDP contraction in Q3-2020, which was not too low,” he added.
Thoroughly making discoveries on UGM innovative medical devices and their downstream in preventing Covid-19 in Indonesia is a synergy program between UGM and Kagama V, which raises the theme entitled “UGM Contribution to Handling Covid-19 through the Discovery of Medical Devices.” There were also several researchers with their findings invited. Some researchers are Prof. Kuwat Triyono, as a GeNose researcher, Dr. Andhika Widyaparaga, as a researcher of Ventilator, Ika Puspita Sari, as a researcher of Viral Transport Medium, and Prof. Sofia Mubarika, as a researcher of the RI-GHA Rapid Test.
The Head of PP Kagama and the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, also conveyed similar appreciation. He said it was a remarkable unique spirit for UGM to innovate medical devices to handle Covid-19.
“This is a very typical character that shows Bulaksumur people with dedication, humanity, and sincerity,” he said.
Meanwhile, some people take opportunities from the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, mask scarcity at the beginning of the pandemic. Back then, when we were also busy doing rapid tests, and almost everyone sold anything.
“It seems that the pandemic has become a new business ground. Epidemiologists and pharmacologists who claimed to be able to fix this situation came out of nowhere. So, thanks to UGM, this pandemic is a turning point for us to leap. For instance, GeNose will not substitute PCR, but this could be a major revolution to respond to this pandemic and stop us from depending on abroad countries to save the nation and humanity,” he explained.
On the other hand, Prof. Sofia Mubarika, as a RI-GHA Rapid Test researcher, stated that at the beginning of the pandemic, people highly needed a diagnostic test. A diagnostic test becomes a crucial thing that people must have because people did not have diagnostic tests for Covid-19 back then.
“Thus, the team had to develop a rapid diagnostic test kit because there was a very crucial momentum. And at that time, tools from abroad have been imported, whose prices vary widely,” she said.
Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/20702-sumbangsih-inovasi-ugm-untuk-penanggulangan-covid-19
