Noguchi gets full body and luggage sanitising machine

Dico systems, a Ghanaian-owned company, has donated a disinfection chamber machine to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

The disinfestation chamber provides fully automated processes that sanitise a person’s whole body and his luggage without any direct contact.

The machine thus seeks to help eliminate spread of the novel coronavirus through contact with contaminated surfaces.

Presenting the machine, the Director of the Dico Disease Control Systems, Kwaku Apeadu, noted that the donation is to help reduce the level of exposure in the nation’s number one facility that is at the fore-front of the Covid-19 fight.

He indicated that, it is also the organisation’s own support for the nation’s Covid-19 fight.

Behaviour change

Director of the NMIMR, Prof Abraham Kwabena Anang, receiving the machine on behalf of the institute stated that the machine has come at a right time since it will promote behaviour change among Ghanaians at a time that campaign on the virus has dwindled.

He stated that by human nature, it is sometimes normal for one to forget to use the Veronica bucket saying when people use this new system for a period of time, it will build their self-consciousness to always look for available running water to wash their hands.

Expressing appreciation to Dico systems, Prof Anang noted that the kind gesture will strengthen the partnership between Noguchi and the company.

The system

The system, wholly made in Ghana, has fully automated hand washing component, hand sanitising component as well as body sanitising component. A person using the system touches nothing. When one gets into the system, he only places his/her hand under a sensor built liquid soap dispenser which dispenses the soap unto the person’s palm. He then moves to the sensor-built water dispenser to wash the hand and then dry the hands under another sensor-built hand dryer. From there, his/her whole body and luggage are automatically sanitised by a three per cent concentrated Hydrogen per Oxide gas.

Explaining how it works on the side-lines of the event to the Daily Statesman, Dr Dennis Daary, a consultant for Dico systems stated that a system is built beside the main chamber that houses the water and the Hydrogen per Oxide gas. He said the chamber automatically draws them as one goes through it. He noted that when the gas and the water get finished, they are refilled to ensure that the system continues to work.

According to Dr Daary, the system can be connected to a pipe-born water for easy access. He explained that when one is sanitised, the gas stays on the person for only six seconds but protects the person for six hours adding that it is not harmful to the skin. He added that the Hydrogen per Oxide does not also react with any body care system, such as pomade or powder, to cause any harm to the human being.

He added that the system uses both electricity and solar.

Explaining the rationale behind the system, Dr Daary stated that the company thought of building a Ghanaian based system like what is in Europe, America and other advanced countries that will help prevent the spread of the virus.

He said, the system is out for sale and called on organisations and corporate bodies to consider getting some to minimise the spread of novel coronavirus in the country.