Saans_Pro with helmet: a safe CPAP/HFNC for low resource settings.

Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) has become a preferred first-line treatment for hypoxemic Covid patients globally. The WHO, US FDA, UK NHS, have all issued guidelines recommending first-line use of NIV (CPAP and HFNC) for moderately severe patients, reserving invasive ventilation for more severe cases. Additionally, NIV can be used as a "bridge to invasive ventilation", especially when ventilators or trained staff are not readily available. To address concerns around infection spread, NIV systems are recommended with Helmet interfaces. This combination has shown lower rates of intubation and mechanical ventilation. Per reports, 50% of patients requiring breathing support in the UK have been treated with NIV, demonstrating the applicability of these systems in Covid-19 patients. India and other developing countries does not currently have an NIV system for COVID patients. Such a system should be aligned with the "real world" scenario of limited ICU staff and infrastructure, and the need to transport patients to referral centres. The project is to developed and install an affordable infrastructure-independent CPAP device Saans Pro with a Helmet interface to safely deliver breathing support in low resource settings to COVID 19 patients.