CHENNAI: Arokiaraj U, a Puducherry native working as the senior nursing officer, had received the Special Innovation award for developing a highly oxygenated aerosol controlled (HOAC) combo device.

“It was invented in 2021 during the pandemic when patients were not given nebulisation. The device is a closed system respiratory unit manufactured in a way that reduces the risk of airborne diseases and functions during nebulisation, sputum sampling, low flow oxygen therapy, etc,” Arokiaraj said.

A prototype of the device is being developed, after which it will go through clinical validation and pilot scale-up phase.