Solomon Islands Prime Minister has announced the NRH has an Intensive Care Unit and an Isolation Ward with functioning medical equipment in readiness.
The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, the Hon. Manasseh Sogavare addressed the nation today and gave some very reassuring news that an item of equipment the Prime Minister referred to as an equilibrator had been acquired by the government and installed in an intensive care ICU unit at the National Referral Hospital (NRH).
Prime Minister Sogavare also said the recently acquired Covid-19 X-Ray machine provided by New Zealand was now in use in the NRH’s Isolation Ward.
It is indeed reassuring that the NRH has both and ICU and an Isolation Ward with functioning equipment to allow for critical care of any patient that might contract coronavirus.
When the PM mentioned an equilibrator I assume he was referring to a ventilator which takes over the body’s breathing process when disease has caused the lungs to fail. The ventilator gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover.
In severe cases of coronavirus, the virus causes damage to the lungs, causing the body’s oxygen levels to drop and making it hard tp breath.
By using a ventilator, increased levels of air, with increased levels of oxygen reach the lungs.
Ventilators also have a humidifier, which adds heat and moisture to the air supply so it matches the patient’s body temperature.
It is gratifying to learn of the two specialist units at the NRH in readiness should the circumstances require there use and I extend my personal thanks to the Solomon Islands government for acquiring the equilibrator/ventilator and to the New Zealand government for the Covid-19 X-Ray machine.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
