Gbenro Adesina
In its own way of contributing to the fight of coronavirus in Nigeria, University of Ibadan (UI) has mass produced hand sanitisers, which it claims is affordable.
According to a statement obtained from the institution’s website, the sanitiser, named ‘UICARE’, “comes in two types. One is spray-type that can be applied on surfaces and the hand. The other is the drop-type which is more viscous and can be applied only to the hand”.
The product is only sold in the university as the institution noted, “UICARE will not be sold beyond the university community until it is registered with and approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Individuals within or visiting the university may, however, buy it from UishopweL”.
The production team is led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Kayode Adebowale, Professor of Industrial Chemistry. Other members of the team include Professors. P. C. Onianwa (Analytical/Environmental Chemistry), O. A. Adegoke (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), and I. A. Oladosu (Organic Chemistry).
Speaking on the product, the team leader said that the reason for the production of the sanitiser was to rise to the acute shortage of good quality and affordable sanitiser in the market.
Adebowale noted that most of the sanitiser brands in the market were too expensive for most people adding, “Some sold 100ml sanitiser for as much as N1, 500. And some are too harsh for the skin because they contain as much as 90 per cent alcohol. Some contain ingredients whose safety could not be ascertained”.
“Thus, UICARE was made with utmost attention to potency as well as skin sensitivity. The purpose of producing the sanitiser was not to make money for the University or for individuals; it was to make the product of good quality and accessible and affordable to members of the university community, to start with”, he said.
