The Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti has produced hand sanitizers and face masks as part of measures to prevent the hospital community from contracting COVID-19.
The preventive products were manufactured in the hospital
According to the FETHI Infection Control Unit, the sanitary products were manufactured in the hospital, essentially for the use of the hospital staff, patients and relatives.
Adejoke Awotona of the Unit who spoke at Ido Ekiti while showcasing the products, said, “Wards/clinics are supplied daily for use by patients, staff, patients and relatives.
The sanitizers are also at strategic locations for anybody coming to the hospital.
“Our products are for FETHI community consumption, right from the gates, the security men are there administering to everyone coming into the hospital, so also censors (sanitizer dispensers) are placed at strategic positions in the hospital which are constantly refilled.
“We considered producing our own in as much as we have the technical knowledge and there is scarcity resulting from the high demand of the commodities, the management felt that it was best we prepare our own based on World Health Organisation standard.
“The present situation in the world in view of the pandemic necessitates strict standard precautionary measures for every health care worker. WHO and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control gave us safety guidelines and hand hygiene which include handwashing/or hand sanitizer rub”.
“COVID-19 is considered to be droplets/airborne and we want to make sure that anybody in the FETHI community does not fall victim,” she said.
Awotona said, “As at April 15, 2020, we have produced approximately 460 litres of hand sanitizers and about 650 face masks, the production is done by the Infection Prevention and Control Committee of the hospital.
“The committee headed by the Chief Medical Director, Prof Adekunle Ajayi, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Idowu Adebara comprises experts from every department including microbiologists, virologists, infection control experts, quality control personnel, environmental, pharmaceutical and medical experts.
