Pharmaceutical companies in Ghana have agreed to produce alcohol-based hand sanitisers following the outbreak of the novel Covid-19 virus.
The agreement was reached when the group met with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra.
Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, confirmed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday.
The decision comes as the prices of hand sanitisers have skyrocketed.
Some pharmacies are struggling to restock hand sanitisers amid increased demand for the product.
The limited stock being sold at cutthroat prices is woefully inadequate, pushing some consumers to resort to using raw alcohol [akpeteshi] to protect themselves.
On the back of this, the Information Minister said the captains in the pharmaceutical industry have assured they are up to the task.
“The captains of the industry have the formula to do the hand sanitisers and they have accepted to produce here in Ghana,” he said.
Their only proposal, Hon Oppong Nkrumah said, was for government to give them support including tax waivers on the products they import.
As an immediate measure, he said President Akufo-Addo directed the Ministers in charge to honour the request of the pharmaceutical companies for production to start.
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah said the pharmaceutical companies, together with about three Ministers have been tasked to put together a working document to hit the ground running.
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