<<Print>>

The Ebola virus which has hit four West African countries so far, has led to the influx of different brands of hand sanitisers on the market. Over the past few months people have heeded to the advice of health personnel and have taken to the use of hand sanitisers to disinfect their hands for fear of coming into contact with the Ebola virus. However, checks at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) have shown that only 11 hand sanitisers on the market are recognised by the authority. As of August 2014, the brands of hand sanitisers that have valid registration with the FDA are Sanigel, Clean Touch, Dial Hand, Samocid, Forever Hand, Steri-7, Carex, Fruiser, Purell, Bremed and High Baby. FDA registration is valid for three years with a three-month grace period for reregistration. Hand sanitisers Hand sanitisers which kill germs are ethyl alcohol or isopropyl based gel or wips used for removing disease causing organisms. In an interview with the Head, Cosmetics and Household Chemical Substance Department, Mr Emmanuel Nkrumah, those hand sanitisers and other acknowledged solely ones used by medical personnel in hospitals were the only brands that were dully registered with the FDA. By law, he said all such products had to be duly registered to know their potency. However, people he said, were finding unapproved means to bring their products into the country. He said it was easy for the authority to monitor activities of big supermarkets but very difficult when it came to those who brought them in through other means. A good hand sanitiser when used, he said could inhibit the growth of organisms to stop them from spreading from one person to the other. However, the influx of those hand sanitisers on the market, he said was of great concern because people were using the sanitizers whose efficacy had not been established. If these unregistered hand sanitisers have toxic substances, they could led to stomach upset when swallowed, he added.