By Esther Nakkazi
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has issued the Q-MARK, a product quality certification, for SaniDrop, an affordable, locally-made hand sanitizer that kills 99.9% of germs. Product quality certification allows sales on the market.
SaniDrop was developed by a Ugandan-based company, Collard Group Limited in the CAMTech Uganda Co-Creation Lab at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST).
“SaniDrop is poised to accelerate towards commercialization and patient impact after receiving certification to allow sales on the market in Uganda,” says Dr. Data Santorino, a Pediatrician and CAMTech Uganda Country Manager.
SaniDrop was first sourced after a needs identification at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and conceived at a MUST Hack-a-thon. it is an affordable, locally-made hand sanitizer that could leave hands smooth and dry as compared to expensive, imported hand sanitizers, some of which would cause skin irritations.
Although it does not replace water and soap, however, for health workers who typically see patients and have to walk across the room to wash their hands it is very helpful and has the potential of keeping away hospital-acquired infections.
SaniDrop is packaged by volume in 50-milliliter, 500-milliliter, 1-liter, 5-liter, 10-liter and 20-liter bottles in the CAMTech Uganda Co-Creation Lab. It is marketed to improve hand hygiene in hospitals and other public spaces.
The first trial sample came out in 2016 after two years of research and development. Quality improvements were then made to improve the first trial with the product passing UNBS quality tests in 2017.
In 2018, the Collard Group Limited sought regulatory approval and focused on manufacturing procedures documentation. It was from passing the UNBS standards audit conducted in October 2018 that a Q-MARK was awarded in January 2019.
Developers of SaniDrop at the Collard Group Limited include Dr. Data Santorino, CAMTech Uganda Country Manager; Sandra Violet, Collard Group Sales Officer; Martin Mukama, CAMTech Uganda Lab Manager; Nuriat Nambogo, CAMTech Uganda Research and Grants Development Officer.
As well as Hannington Kanyesigye, CAMTech Uganda Innovation, and Productization Officer; Manny Cabanas, CAMTech Innovator in Residence; Shivangi Bajpai, CAMTech Innovation Leadership Fellow; and Jacob Fohtung, CAMTech-Babson Innovation Leadership Fellow.
The SaniDrop product sits at the intersection of innovation and job creation, and the Collard Group now employs a manager/director, production officer, sales officer, and quality specialist. With this awarded Q-Mark, the company hopes to employ more staff to help in widening the product’s market base says Dr. Santorino.
