admin
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Manicaland Bureau
United Methodist Church’s Africa University last week launched its U-safe hand sanitiser developed by its Department of Public Health and Nursing, as the institution joins the Government in the fight against Covid-19.
The university recently received a $350 000 grant from Old Mutual to scale up production of hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment.
With an initial production target of 550 litres of hand sanitiser per day and over 2 000 litres produced to date, the institution has expressed hope that it will satisfy demand across the province.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira said he was impressed with the commitment by institutions’ innovations in response to the pandemic.
“The aim of education is not only knowledge, but action,” he said.
“Our task as a ministry is to provide the nation with the capability to achieve this. It is high time that capability and opportunity have a meeting. We have moved from an education of literacy to an education of innovation. Ours should be an education of goods and services. That is what Africa University has done.”
The hand sanitiser being developed by AU has an alcohol content of over 60 percent and will be made available at affordable prices in shops and pharmacies.
AU Vice Chancellor Prof Munashe Furusa emphasised the shift in research focus for the university towards generating knowledge that is richly embedded in the African context and experience of Covid-19.
“Personal protective equipment is scarce globally and more so in Africa,” said Prof Furusa.
“Our research teams here at AU seek to fill that gap. The U-Safe hand sanitiser will support current efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus. One infection that we stop today prevents hundreds of others tomorrow. The U-Safe Hand Sanitiser shall be made available through various distribution channels to those who need it the most, chief among these being those serving on the frontline in our hospitals, clinics, supermarkets, agricultural sectors and the care- givers in our community upon whom so many of our sick rely.”
The university donated 1 000 litres each of the U- Safe hand sanitiser to the Old Mutare Mission Hospital, the Mutare Provincial Hospital and the Office of the Minister of State for Manicaland Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba.
Dr Gwardzimba commended the university for the innovation and encouraged them to continue doing more for the province and the country.
“This donation is welcome and I am so proud of this university,” she said.
“You continue to lead from the front. One of the challenges we are facing is behaviour change in our people where social distancing practices are not being followed. Let us come together to educate our province and beat this scourge together.”
Online Reporter