Ludhiana’s GADVASU comes up with cost-effective hand sanitiser

Tribune News Service

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Ludhiana, April 25

Accepting the call to fight COVID-19 through “Mission Fateh” of the Punjab Government, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, has come up with cost-effective alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Innovations at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, GADVASU, are proving highly useful. In line with the recommendations for routine use of sanitiser during COVID-19 crisis and guidelines of WHO, the university has prepared a cost-effective alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Dr Vinod Dumka, Head of the Department, said COVID-19 pandemic is a real-time deadliest threat to present-day global society. Best strategy at the moment is to strictly observe social distancing and frequent sanitisation of hands for breaking the spread chain of the virus. Due to immediate high demand, hand sanitisers, which were very expensive also, soon became out of stock. It was, therefore, imperative to develop an effective as well as cost-effective hand sanitser which can be made locally and is user-friendly.

Dr Dumka said the cost of GADVASU Hand Sanitiser is only around Rs 120 per 400 ml against Rs 250 to Rs 400 for various commercially available brands. While the university product is much cheaper, it is equally effective, he said.

Dr Parkash Singh, Dean, Veterinary Science College, said that during lockdown, GADVASU is continuing its essential activities, including emergency services at Veterinary Hospital, diagnosis and treatment of seriously sick animals, management of animal farms.

While strictly following social distancing and sanitary precaution guidelines, a good number of scientists, clinicians, staff and workers are involved in these duties. ‘GADVASU Hand Sanitizer’ being used by the staff is proving highly effective in containing the spread of infection.

Dr AS Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, congratulated the scientists and staff of the university for being innovative. He hoped that this initiative will help relieve pressures of high demand for commercial hand sanitisers.