Honda Activities to Support Efforts to Prevent COVID-19 Infection in South America:
- Honda signs technical cooperation term for development of prototype respirators
In line with the global mobilization to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moto Honda da Amazônia today signed a technical cooperation term dated April 3 with the Government of Amazonas and the University of the State of Amazonas for the development of prototype artificial respirators.
The development of the prototype, which started in April, is part of a joint project to contribute to the state health service, which is preparing for the potential increase in occurrences of respiratory disorders caused by COVID-19.
Under the agreement, the group will work with the aim of making a prototype for transport respirators, used with patients who need temporary respiratory support or while traveling on short and medium routes.
Honda believes that combining efforts and resources is the most efficient way to support communities and professionals from different sectors that are at the forefront of combating COVID-19.
A working group was formed by Moto Honda engineers, in partnership with researchers from the State University of Amazonas.
“It is a great honor to be able to contribute positively to society in this extremely challenging period. The work team is committed to absorbing all the technical knowledge about this equipment and, of course, being able to add the knowledge of Moto Honda in the development and manufacture of motorcycles to generate an effective contribution to society. It is not our expertise to develop respirators, but since it is such a noble cause, we will commit all our efforts to the realization of this project,” says Julio Koga, Industrial Vice President of Moto Honda da Amazônia.
Moto Honda da Amazônia will also support the joint initiative to maintain respirators that are out of operation for use by patients affected by COVID-19. On an additional front, the company will donate ten motor pumps to the state Civil Defense, for use in specific actions that contribute to public health.
Respirator repair partnership: Mobilization in favor of combating COVID-19
Honda Automóveis do Brasil, together with the Ministry of Economy, other companies and SENAI, participates in a task force for the repair of artificial respirators. Currently, it is estimated that about 3,600 pieces of equipment are out of use in the country.
The action consists of collecting, cleaning, identifying and solving the equipment defect. After repairing, respirators are still calibrated and tested in LAC Medic.
About 30 professionals and outside partners are dedicated to this project, with a work structure set up at the Sumaré plant, in the interior of São Paulo. The company will meet the demand from cities close to its factory and has already repaired the first equipment.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest challenges we face, as a society and as a company. We are certain that it will only be possible to overcome it if we act with unity, all in the same direction. That is why Honda Automóveis is joining forces toward such a respectable cause,” says Otávio Mizikami, Industrial Vice President of Honda Automóveis do Brasil.
In addition to this measure, Honda Automóveis is also donating four Honda Backpack Sprayers to the Sumaré City Hall for the cleaning and disinfection of public areas. The initiative was complemented by the donation of two thousand individual protection masks and basic food baskets, which go to the Municipal Social Solidarity Fund.
Honda Automóveis do Brasil (Automobile Plant)
What activities are you involved in with regards to COVID-19?
- Participation in a task force, led by Ministry of Economy, to repair lung ventilators
- Donation of backpack sprayers for sanitizing and disinfecting public areas (to Sumaré City Hall)
- Donation of face protection masks and basic food baskets (to Sumaré City Hall)
Please let us know the background of the activity based on people's lives and situation in each region.
Currently, it is estimated that about 3,600 lung ventilators are out of use in Brazil, and are in need of some form of maintenance. With the escalation of COVID-19 cases in the country and the high demand for medical and healthcare equipment, Honda decided to join in a task force to repairing lung ventilators and helping the communities around its facility.
The first equipment repaired and delivered by Honda is the only one to serve the public health system of Iracemápolis, a city with about 19 thousand inhabitants.
Please share with us the activity story, as well as any difficulties that you faced during activities, and how you coped with the situation.
As we didn't have any experience with medical equipment maintenance, we embraced the “ Spirit of Challenge” to achieve an outstanding delivery. It is a big responsibility for us given the importance of this device: one item of equipment can save ten lives. So, we went deeper into our studies even before receiving the first lung ventilator.
In addition, it was necessary to set up a work structure at the Sumaré plant, in which about 30 associates could be fully dedicated to this project. Actions taken involved collecting, cleaning, identifying and resolving defects with the equipment and, last but not least, calibration. Honda was able to rely on the partnership of a specialized a company in this type of maintenance, to ensure all the technical rigor for the task.
What kind of feelings did you experience during your activities?
There is no better feeling of being able to help others and do that without measuring efforts, which in our case represented doing something that nobody in our team had done before. It is a privilege as a Honda associate to be part of a project like this. The team is very honored to use all its engineering knowledge, as well as electrical and mechanical skills, to help society in this challenging period.
Please share your positive message for the people in your community and all over the world.
I believe that if everyone contributes in what way they can, we will overcome this pandemic more quickly. In difficult times, we have to face our own limits to challenge and go forward into the power to help others and truly achieve the Power of Dreams.
Moto Honda da Amazônia (Motorcycle Plant)
What activities are you involved in with regards to COVID-19?
- Signature of a Technical Agreement Term with the government of the Amazonas State and the University of the Amazonas State (UEA) for the development of a lung ventilator prototype
- Repair of lung ventilators
- Face shields production and donation
- Donation of 10 water pumps and two motorcycles
- Donation of medicines for the Amazonas State Medicine Center
Please let us know the background of the activity based on people’s lives and situation in each region.
The city of Manaus, where Honda’s motorcycle plant is located, faces an overload on the health system. There are insufficient lung ventilators to meet the high demand caused by the occurrence of the respiratory disease COVID-19. Under agreement with the government of Amazonas State and the University of the State of Amazonas (UEA), the group are working with the aim of making a lung ventilator prototype.
Please share with us the activity story, as well as any difficulties that you faced during activities, and how you coped with the situation.
To develop a new product, study of new knowledge with a multifunctional team assisted by intensive care doctors and engineers was necessary. The first prototype was produced incorporating the main functionalities to meet medical requirements. These include, adjustment of the maximum and minimum pressure (PEEP), control of respiratory frequency/inspiration time, and an appropriate dosage of the mixture of air and oxygen during the lung ventilation.
The next steps consist of the electronic integration needed to ensure greater precision and control of operational parameters when performing medical tests for prototype approval. We know that the expectation for a quick solution in the fight against COVID-19 is very high and we are moving forward with responsibility, since people’s safety is our foremost priority.
What kind of feelings did you experience during your activities?
It is a great honor to be able to contribute positively to society in this extremely challenging period. Development of lung ventilators is not Honda's field of expertise, but since it is such a noble cause, we will commit all our efforts to the realization of this project.
Please share your positive message for the people in your community and all over the world.
This is one of the biggest challenges we face as a company and society. We are sure that it will only be possible to overcome them if we act together, all in the same direction. Serving people has been Honda’s mission since its founding. This is the essence of our brand.