The COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand is amid its 3rd wave. This has greatly attacked the country’s economy and living conditions. It led to the strenuous dedication by stakeholders, especially frontline “medical personnel” while other related parties are speedily assisting at full steam, all determined to help Thailand during this crisis.
Branching from existing innovation with limited time at stake to meet altering demands
SCG is among the leading organizations that contributed its existing technological know-how to alleviate contagion for medical personnel during the first outbreak. This was innovation development with the “speed race against time”. SCG’s teams work side by side with medical teams to empathize practical usage needs, targeting to innovate, design, and develop products and solutions. The accomplishment was timely, efficient technologies that met rapid altering demands at each phase of the outbreak. SCG accomplished in delivering innovation to reduce contagion and lessen the anxiety levels of doctors, nurses, and related officials. Thus, supporting their ability to tackle COVID-19 with safety, and in turn, minimizing the effects in the society and best support Thailand throughout the crisis.
8 innovations addressing COVID-19 3rd wave, delivery-ready nationwide
The 3rd wave of the outbreak is dispersed throughout the country with the number of patients continuously increasing. This means that hospitals are struggling with scarcity of equipment to help contain the disease, hospital beds, and are faced with the task to prepare sufficient ICUs. SCG advances to develop “8 innovation” with SCG Foundation who supported and distributed help to 400 hospitals and field hospitals nationwide. The items are listed below:
- The Modular ICU for critical COVID–19 patients, a collaboration with the College of Medicine, Rajavithi Hospital was promptly constructed within a week under ICU standards. It functions to support patients with severe symptoms and isolate ventilation for the medical teams to lessen the infection risks and separate COVID-19 patients from patients with other illnesses.
- SCGP Paper Field Hospital Bed as an optional solution for hospital bed scarcity. They are made from 100% recycled paper with an ergonomics design that supports Asian body structures. Moreover, they are light weighted, thus, are easily transported and stored. They can be installed in 8 minutes with no use of glue, can be used for 3 months when kept away from water, and supports 100 kg of weight horizontally. Also, SCG and 62 organizations join the “United to fight against COVID” project to set up collection centers for used paper boxes to be recycled to paper field beds in an attempt to turn resources into upcycled products. At present, the distribution has reached 27,600 paper beds to 340 locations.
- Modular Bathrooms are made from ready-to-use concrete structures that are advantageous for production, logistics, and quick installation. Moreover, they are designed for durability, safety, and simple sanitation to reduce contagion. The areas are single units for isolated usage where sanitization can be done separately.
- Positive Pressure SWAB Cabinet for screening and diagnosis purposes on sites. The units are within the sterilization standards with easy transport and installation features.
- Negative Pressure Isolation Room is designed to fit emergency rooms, ICU, or patient room operations.
- Patient Isolation Capsule prevents the spread of viruses during patient transports.
- Small Patient Isolation Capsule for CT scan
- Dent Guard
Additionally, SCG together with the Department of Medical Services has prepared the private sector vaccination unit on the grounds of SCG Bangsue headquarters. With volunteers, the site will provide vaccination for the public at 2,000 cases per day. The center is expected to begin in June 2021.
Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO, SCG, expresses that “SCG constantly dedicates resources to innovation development. We have always targeted the consumers’ ultimate convenience. During COVID-19, medical personnel greatly devoted themselves to fight the pandemic amid the risk of contagion. This altered SCG’s perspective to adapt to ever-changing situations. We aimed at the safety of medical personnel in every step of their operations. This ranges from the screening, testing, contagion prevention equipment, field hospital bed preparations, and modular ICU innovation. This focuses on caring for COVID-19 patients under the context of “agility” to deliver timely solutions.”
“SCG possesses the technology and innovation. More importantly, we are ready for quick deliveries. With the collaboration from external entities with expertise different from ours, the open innovation ignited ideas that promptly answered demands to address problems of the society. Lessons learned from the first wave of COVID-19 coupled with experience, expertise, and consumer empathy equipped the team to innovate and develop solutions in time to support the situation. In addition, such know-how will prove valuable for further innovation development.”
Nevertheless, the COVID-19 crisis is still ongoing, and we urge everyone to register for the COVID-19 vaccination via the application or Line@ official account “Mor-Prom”. Also, the public may register at both private or public hospitals in which they have medical records, Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals (Village Health Volunteers or VHV) as well as private sectors vaccination centers. This will contribute to reducing contagion, infections, and the severity of the symptoms. Moreover, one must strictly abide by the preventive measures for the infectious disease issued by the Ministry of Public Health and the government. Some suggestions include working from home as much as possible, wearing masks, constantly washing hands, and practicing social distancing, etc. These attempts will help us overcome this crisis.
Published on: May 17, 2021
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