COVID 19: BUK To Produce Hand Sanitizers For Public

The Bayero University Kano (BUK)’s Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry has mobilized its staff for the production of hand sanitizers to be used within the university campus and possibly the Kano community.

This was contained in a statement signed and issued by Comrade Lamara Garba, spokesman for BUK.

The statement said a number of the academic staff from the Department who
volunteered to participate in the project with a view to contributing their quota
towards fighting the COVID 19, were currently in the laboratories formulating the
sanitizers based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) specifications..

According to the Head, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry,
Ibrahim Tajo Siraj who announced this, said the idea
was borne out of the desire to give a helping hand in the fight against the
disease.

His words, “In view of the gravity of the Coronavirus and the urgent need for all
stakeholders to join hands in containing the pandemic, the Department felt it
had a vital role to play in this direction.

“As you aware, universities were known to be serving as research centres
where solutions are proffered for any problem facing the society, and now it is
time to prove this, hence, our decision to mobilize our members to the
laboratories with a view to producing hand sanitizers as stop-gap measures,”
he declared.

Tajo Siraj noted that the Department had all it would take to produce the hand sanitizers that would meet the standard and specifications of the
World Health Organization (WHO).

“We have the technical experts, we have
standard laboratories for the formulation and we have the commitment to do
it.”

He said after the production of the sample of the hand
sanitizers, it would be submitted to the Management of the University for further
action which may include possible financial backing to procure the chemicals
and other implements for mass production.

“As you can see now, our scientists from the Department of Pure and
Industrial Chemistry are currently in the laboratories mixing the chemicals to
come up with a quality and standard hand sanitizers,” said the Dr. Siraj.

He pointed out that, since the University did not
have advanced medical facilities, the best thing to do under the circumstance
was to produce hand sanitizers and distribute to the public, “which is a very
fundamental strategy in fighting the disease.”

Abdurahman Abdul Audu, a professor who was also at the Laboratory helping other researchers said, the BUK branded hand sanitizers would be very effective as they would strictly abide by the WHO standards.

“According to WHO, the required formulations for hand sanitizers include
ethanol, hydrogen peroxide as well as glycerol and water, so here in BUK we
shall strictly adhere to this formulations.”

Meanwhile, the Head of Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, has
revealed that talks were on between the Department and the Kano
Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), for collaboration
towards ensuring production of the sanitizers for ASUU.