Why is this bucket called 'veronica bucket'?

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the campaign on constant washing of hands with soap under running water, has made the veronica buckets very popular in Ghana in recent times.

What is the veronica bucket?

The veronica bucket is a bucket with a tap near the bottom that is perched above a basin to catch runoff for effective hand washing.

The bucket is not only used in Ghana but in many African countries.

It has become essential in stopping the spread of many diseases such as Cholera, Ebola and currently the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is commonly used in areas where running water from taps from the water company are scarce and therefore very common in some hospitals and schools.

The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has seen demand for the veronica bucket shot up as it is being used in homes, workplaces, churches and mosques among others.

PHOTO: Veronica Bekoe

Why is it called veronica bucket?

It is called veronica bucket because the person who invented it is called Veronica Bekoe, a Ghanaian biological scientist.

Therefore, the invention has been named after her.

Veronica Bekoe attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from 1968 to 1972 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

She has over 30 years’ experience in medical laboratory practice and was a head of the National Public Reference Laboratory in Accra.

It was during her time at the laboratory that she was inspired to invent the veronica bucket.

She has also worked as a focal person for the National AIDS/STI Control Program (NACP).

Bekoe has experience in Laboratory Management, Mentorship, Development of training manuals, development of guidelines and SOPs for laboratory diagnostics, managerial and QA processes, microbiology procedures.

She also has the experience in Laboratory logistics Management, Laboratory Assessments/Audits, infection prevention in laboratories, Technical support for guidelines for Quality Assurance in HIV testing and evaluation of HIV test kits and Structuring, training and implementation of proficiency testing in HIV serology.