MKU produces its’ own hand sanitizer
Mount Kenya University (MKU) has started producing a hand sanitizer to be availed to students and staff in an attempt to contain the spread of coronavirus in Kenya. The move is at the same time expected to cushion its over 40, 000 university community from unscrupulous businesses that have flooded the market with hand sanitizers, some of them of questionable quality.
The hand sanitizer will be distributed to students and members of staff free of charge. Prof Simon Gicharu, who is the chairman and founder MKU, said the quick response by the university has been due to heavy investment in research over time, which has included an empowered research team. It has an alcohol content of 70 per cent which is adequate to kill the coronavirus on surfaces. He added that the sanitizers will also be distributed to its campuses in Rwanda and Somalia. The university will continue with the production of hand sanitizers, according to the chairman, for the foreseeable future. “As a university we decided to look at solutions inward to ensure that our students and members of staff are protected and can also prevent the spread in case they get it,” said Dr Michael Mungoma, MKU’s dean school of Pharmacy. “I hope all people can practice a healthy lifestyles by maintaining cleanliness at all times.
A healthy lifestyle must be started from yourself and be practiced consistently, then others will be influenced by us.” MKU Acting vice chancellor Prof. Peter Wanderi said students and members of staff as well as visitors can always maintain cleanliness. “It’s what’s happening in the rest of the world that’s now our greatest concern,” he said, further asking MKU students to follow classes online from their homes through the university’s e-learning platforms as well as classes televised on TV47. President Uhuru Kenyatta Monday warned of severe action against individuals violating Ministry of Health guidelines on coronavirus prevention. Speaking at Statehouse Nairobi the Head of State called on Kenyans to follow the directive given by the health ministry saying everyone has a responsibility to stop the spread of the virus in the country.