SOME RESIDENTS of Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, have resorted to the use of locally made gin popularly called ‘Apketeshie’ to fight off the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.
The recommended use of hand sanitizers as part of the precautionary measures and the recent hike in the cost of the product on the market have led to many people using ‘Apketeshie’ in place of hand sanitizers.
Others are also increasing their intake of the local alcoholic drink, with the false impression that it will help kill the virus in their bodies should they become infected.
During a tour at some of the local drinking spots, DAILY GUIDE gathered that there was high consumption of the local gin compared to the one mixed with other local ingredients.
Some of the sellers said, mostly, the youth had been buying it on a daily basis as they sell it in the small glasses for GH¢1 and above.
Some said the high consumption was boosting sales, adding that since last week they had even run out of stock.
Some of the consumers who were spotted at the bars said they had no option than to drink it to prevent COVID-19 infection.
Noguchi Warning
Professor Abraham Annan, the Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), has advised Ghanaians to desist from taking the alcohol since it has not proven to prevent coronavirus.
According to him, alcohol may be good as a disinfectant, it must be used with the right requirements but the public must be cautious in going for ordinary alcohol as disinfectants instead of properly manufactured hand sanitizers.
“Alcohol can be good for disinfection; in the laboratory, for example, we use alcohol for disinfection,” he said, adding “but before the alcohol is used, we prepare it in a certain way. We, first of all, will use water that is distilled or de-iodinated. We won’t use tap water or any water to prepare the alcohol for disinfection in the laboratory,” he said on GTV.
Centre For Plant Medicine
Responding to the use of alcoholic bitters as a substitute for hand sanitizers, the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) said, “No herbal bitters or local gin could be viable substitute for hand rubbing.”
A statement signed by Baffour Osei Akoto, Head of Public Relations, CMPR, said for a sanitizer to be effective in ridding the hands of coronavirus, it must have 60-95% alcohol by volume, indicating that alcohol content for bitters on the market is often less than 45%.
“Thus, clearly, such bitters and their alcohol contents are inadequate as a sterilizing measure against COVID-19,” the statement said.
The CPMR also placed on record that no known medical plant, or herbal product or local gin has yet been proven to be efficacious against COVID-19.
Gender Ministry Effort
The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection has held a brief demonstration of how to make hand sanitizers using basic products of alcohol (ethanol), glycerin, purified water and fragrance or colour.
The move by the ministry was to make the essential product available to all following the high cost and in some cases shortage of hand sanitizers on the market.
Victoria Eshun of Vicesh Enterprise, making the sanitizer in the full glare of the media, mixed alcohol and fragrance in a bowl and added the purified water and glycerin and then colour while stirring intermittently.
She said a bottle or sachet water must be used for the mixture as the chlorine content in the pipe water will reduce the efficacy of the alcohol. She further noted that the glycerin, which is a colourless and odourless liquid that comes from plant sources, will act as a moisturizer to treat or prevent dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin and minor skin irritations.
The Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Cynthia Morrison, addressing the media after the demonstration, said the products would be distributed to the public to fight COVID-19.
She said the School Feeding coordinators would be educated on how to make the sanitizers so they could better help protect schoolchildren when they are allowed back to the classrooms.
Mrs. Morrison also used the platform to caution against the over pricing of hand sanitizers on the market.
By Jamila AkweleyOkertchiri & Daniel Bampoe