Mass production of sanitising tunnels begins in Tema

The mass production of locally manufactured sanitary and decontamination equipment has begun in Tema.

The equipment, known as the M240-5 Sanitising Tunnel, is a structured tunnel with installed standing body scanners and a sanitising system that automatically dispenses liquids to disinfect individuals in the tunnel.

The M240-5 can be installed at the entrances of public offices, supermarkets, airports, hospitals, among others, to have the workforce, goods, vehicles and materials sanitised.

Adventure Trail Company Limited (ATCL), the innovators and producers of the equipment, has received certification from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to begin production.

The Managing Director of the ATCL, Mr Elie Abou Jaoude, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the company would produce 100 pieces of the equipment every month to help both public and private institutions fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The equipment, he said, would help provide, on a larger scale, safe entry and protection for people who entered facilities that had the equipment installed, "especially those who work in close contact with groups and are, therefore, at a higher risk of contracting viral diseases".

Although it would have to be commercially sourced, he said, there were plans to partner other institutions to have the equipment installed at public places.

“We have begun production and installation and we are targeting to produce about 100 every month. One has already been installed at the Palace Mall on the Spintex Road,” he said.

Timely intervention

The Director-General of the GSA, Professor Alex Dodoo, said the equipment had been tested and was in conformity with three standards institutions in Ghana and abroad, including the Household and Similar Electrical Appliance Safety (GS IEC 60730) regulation and the Automatic Electrical Controls for Household and similar use.

He said although the equipment was not a new product, it was nevertheless a timely addition to the country’s resources in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19.

“Even though it’s new in Ghana, it’s not a new product because this model has been in use in Europe and other places around the world for some time now. But I am excited because it is a copy of what is going on in the developed world that is being replicated here so that we don’t have to import," he said.

He said it would help in opening up the country faster than usual, since “it can be used en masse and in a faster way”.

Beyond that, Prof. Dodoo said, such manufacturing ventures were necessary to limit importation, help Ghana become self-reliant and help the economy grow.

“We must also encourage manufacturers and provide them with the required assistance, since we can only develop if we are able to increase our productivity and limit our dependence on imported goods that only benefit the economies of foreign nations,” he said.

Supervision

Touching on how to ensure that the company’s products met the required standards, he said the GSA would continue to monitor the activities of the manufacturer to make sure that each product bore the mark of conformity.

He explained that the certification would be revoked if the company violated it or went contrary to the agreed standards.