Among the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is one of the best for healthcare workers (HCW) performing high-risk procedures which cause aerosol or droplet spread. A PAPR uses a pump that moves contaminated air through a high-efficiency particulate filter. The contaminant-free air is then breathed in by the HCW. Unfortunately, PAPRs are scarce and prohibitively expensive.

The UP College of Medicine Surgical Innovations and Biotechnology Laboratory (SIBOL) did a review of the quality parameters of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the US FDA, and an initial evaluation of locally and internationally available PAPRs.  The objective was to innovate and develop a local product with equivalent protection and safety. Features that needed to be addressed are continuous airflow, carbon dioxide retention, user comfort, and communication.

The SIBOL PAPR team is composed of four clinicians from UP Manila, one engineering professor from UP Diliman, one industrial designer, and one medical intern with a Mechanical Engineering degree. These seven have never been in the same room together. Collaborating online, the team used an ideation board to assess what an ideal PAPR is, identify what needed to be done, and source materials despite the lockdown. Countless hours were spent online searching for appropriate blower and filters that could remove 99.7 percent of particulates. Slowly, the helmet design was refined, and through courier services, all the needed parts were gradually completed. The PAPR has gone through many iterations and testing protocols were devised to meet the marks for international accreditation. The design and proposal were approved by the DOST-PCHRD.  

Dr. Samuel Grozman | Published in Healthscape Special COVID-19 Issue No. 6