The Director General of the Raw Materials and Research Development Council, Prof.Hussaini D. Ibrahim, has says the agency has embarked on projects of economic sustainability to help stem the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prof. Ibrahim said this during a presentation he made at the joint meeting of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and The Federal Ministry of Health on Covid-19 pandemic during the week in Abuja.
According to Prof. Ibrahim, Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) have been developed according to World Health Organization ‘s (WHO) standard.
These include facemasks, Surgery Gowns and Boots, Goggles, Gloves among other things. He added that positive feedback on these equipment’s have been received from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria and other reputable institutions.
Prof. Ibrahim equally said samples of these equipment’s were distributed to the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), World Health organization (SON), local and International reputable institutions to asses their quality and standard.
He further said that the raw materials used to produce these equipment’s were sourced locally and collaborative efforts have been undertaken with indigenous companies to mass produce these equipment’s.
Prof. Ibrahim said technology that could further improve mass production is being considered and studies on reverse engineering of production processes were ongoing.
On projects of economic sustainability post Covid-19, Prof. Ibrahim said the production and development of Pharmaceutical Grade Starch, is being carried out to produce pharmaceutical drugs so as to reduce imports, create more jobs and locally produce much needed medicine.
He said that the production of Caustic Soda/ Precipitated Calcium Carbonate from Limestone will serve as ready raw materials for the production of soaps, detergents, textiles and oil which will create employment and as well grow the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He however highlighted the value chain production of Sweet Sorghum, which would impart heavily on the food and beverage industry, provision of animal feed and the production of Ethanol which is a raw material for chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
