A U.S-based Nigerian medical practitioner, Dr Samson Arigbamu, has said that he has invented a stethoscope equipped with components capable of identifying COVID-19-infected lungs immediately.
Speaking on Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, he stated that the stethoscope was in production at prototype and optimisation stage.
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According to him, the final product would commence by December and the process can be expedited with resources from individuals, organisations or even the Nigerian government.
He maintained that the eventual production of the stethoscope would be a great achievement and pride to the Nigerian government.
Dr Arigbamu stated:
The stethoscope will be great achievement and pride to Nigeria for the fact that her citizen invented such critical medical equipment worthy of U.S patent. I am soliciting support from the Nigerian government.
Having worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years, Arigbamu said that he had seen healthcare providers including nurses, mid-level providers and physicians struggle with identifying lung and heart sounds.
He continued:
They struggle because chest x-rays, EKGs and other cardiac interrogative tests are often ordered to identify adventitious lung and heart conditions.
Clinical issue with these expensive tests and devices are incapable of identifying adventitious sounds and providing immediate and accurate feedback.
Consequently, utilisation of such devices often result in significant clinical and health issues for the patients as well as a waste of valuable resource.
He explained that in 2018, he commenced work towards inventing a digital stethoscope that could identify lung and heart sounds, interpret the sounds and immediately announce its findings to the users.
He noted that the stethoscope was also capable of integrating its data into an electronic medical record.
He said:
With such capabilities, it will enhance physical assessment vital to healthcare providers and novice users.
It will also ensure opportunities for timely intervention and prevention of further health decline in patients.
The stethoscope is also equipped with Electronic Medical Record (EMR) integration capabilities (essential to telemedicine) in order to improve care coordination and patient information portability.
The project received a USA patent on June 2, and is currently in prototype phase of production in the U.S and Ukraine.