E-Plus Medical Services commissions portable isolation chambers for covid-19 patient evacuations

E-Plus has done it again!

With the rising cases of COVID-19 infection transmission among the frontline responders, E-Plus has increased its capacity to respond and safely evacuate suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 by acquiring and commissioning of two portable isolation chambers.

This comes at a time when the country is strained by the increasing rate of the positive cases being registered on daily basis and increase in a number of healthcare providers contracting the virus.

E-Plus MD Mrs. Susan Ng'ong'a during the launch
E-Plus MD Mrs. Susan Ng’ong’a during the launch

Speaking during the launch, E-Plus’ Managing Director, Mrs. Susan Ng’ong’a remarks:

 “E-Plus has been in the forefront undertaking evacuations to assist the government in COVID19 mitigation efforts through provision of safe evacuations for suspected and confirmed cases and as such, these units will boost our capacity to respond effectively and safely including regionally with reduced exposure to our ambulance team.”

“They will be part of our advanced cardiac life support ambulance equipment. E-plus has plans to equip all its advanced cardiac life support units with the portable isolation chambers.  The adoption of the isolation chambers will mitigate and reduce the risk of contamination and infection hence creating a safe working environment for our ambulance crew as well as the patients”

Mrs Ng’ong’a also said that the portable isolation chamber is a single patient unit that is designed to transport a contaminated patient or a patient with a risk of biological contamination so as to aid in reducing the risk of contamination during evacuation. The unit also protects the external environment from any contamination that can occur during transportation of the patient.

 “As key players in the health sector, especially in the area of Emergency Medical Services provision, we have taken up the challenge to ensure that we play a key role in reducing the spread of the novel disease.” She added.

Dr. Christine Memusi, the Medical Director for E-Plus while demonstrating functionality of the unit said that the portable isolation chamber work in negative pressures for the transport of contaminated patients, and can also work in positive pressures to assist patients that might be immunocompromised.

E-Plus paramedics and ambulance operators have taken a thorough training on the application of the newly acquired Portable Isolation Chambers and they will also undertake refresher training before deployment.

E-Plus continues to play a critical role in addressing pre-hospital care in the country while actively pursuing innovative approaches in the health system. In May 2020, E-Plus launched its telemedicine platform, eDoc where patients can access clinical services virtually.