The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) has developed hand
sanitiser and antiseptic for its local use in the hospital as part of sanitary
measures to check risks of Covid-19 and Lassa fever.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Ahmed Ahijo, made this known
to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Yola.
Ahijo said that the development had saved the hospital a lot of fund used to be
spent on imported sanitisers, particularly with the outbreak of Lassa fever and
Coronavirus.
“Following the outbreak of Lassa fever and Coronavirus, we realised that we
have to buy a lot of water sanitisers in the hospital and the cost is very much to
us.
“So, I called the engineering staff and say why not we produce our own. I looked
at the Act that established the hospital which gave us the backing of the law to do
so.
“We have produced for our local consumption for now. We are thinking maybe
we can extend it to the society and other institutions,” Ahijo said.
The chief medical director assured that with time the hospital would take steps to
patent the product as prescribed by law.
NAN reports that the product is called “Sapta”, meaning cleanliness in Hausa.
