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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
CONSUMERS should be wary of substandard hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE) products that are flooding the market following the outbreak of Covid-19, industry experts have said.

Declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last month, the highly contagious disease has become a global emergency, given its devastating effect on the entire world population and global economies.

Zimbabwe has recorded 14 cases of Covid-19 and three deaths.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there have been a number of businesses that have mushroomed selling and distributing disinfectants alleged to kill the  coronavirus.

The WHO has said sanitisers with at least 60 percent alcohol content are highly recommended for use in the fight against Covid-19 but there are fears that the local market could be flooded with hand sanitisers that do not meet the WHO guidelines.

Some of the leading chemical producers in Bulawayo told Business Chronicle yesterday that it was a cause for concern that the market was presently flooded with substandard hand sanitisers and protective clothing thereby putting people’s lives at risk.

Tiera Chemicals chief executive officer Mr Edward Muchengeti said enterprises involved in the production of disinfectants and protective clothing should shun unethical business practices.

“It’s commendable that businesses are trying to help the country by producing sanitisers and gloves in the short term. However, such businesses should take advice from those who have been in the field for a long time,” said Mr Muchengeti.

He said those involved in the production of chemicals should have relevant qualifications and right technology to avoid compromising quality.

Chemical Technology Africa operations manager, Mr Liberty Nyathi, said substandard products expose people to Covid-19.

“These substandard products are being sold to the people who use them believing they help them maintain personal hygience when it’s not the case,” he said.

Mr Nyathi said investigations conducted by his company established that hand sanitisers flooding the market were below standard as they had less than 60 percent alcohol.

“People are therefore at risk of getting infected by Covid-19 if they use such sanitisers,” he said.

Mr Nyathi also accused a number of businesses of fleecing consumers by charging exorbitant prices for sanitisers taking advantage of the high demand.

“This is a global pandemic that the Government has declared a national disaster and so as businesses we must complement Government efforts to curb the spread of this pandemic by charging affordable prices for products such as sanitisers which assist people maintain personal hygiene,” said Mr Nyathi.

He urged members of the public to buy sanitisers from reputable companies that have been in existence even before the outbreak of the pandemic.

Chemicals Technology Africa has donated hand and surface sanitisers to public institutions such as Ekusileni Hospital, which has been designated as one of the isolation centres in Bulawayo as part of its contribution to fighting Covid-19. — @okazunga