The widespread Coronavirus issue or COVID-19 in Indonesia has made some people look for masks and hand sanitizers as one of the preventive ways to anticipate the outbreak. As a result, the two items become expensive because those are hard to find.
Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM, Prof. Agung Endro Nugroho, M.Sc., Ph.D., Apt., Claimed to keep supporting efforts to prevent these infectious diseases, one of them is dealing with the issue of COVID-19 infection.
"First, we held a guest lecture introduces Corona Virus and its handling. Secondly, because this faculty is in line with pharmaceutical technology, we are likely to produce hand sanitizer for faculty needs," he said, at the Laboratory of Pharmacy Management and Community Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, UGM Faculty of Pharmacy on Monday (9/3).
The thing is hand sanitizer becomes viral related to this Coronavirus issue. People flocked to purchase this stuff, and it becomes rare. Some units, faculties, and universities even make reservations or submit requests related to the procurement of hand sanitizers.
"We do not mind in this short time producing hand sanitizers for the needs of faculties, units, universities, and others. However, we propose that this is not only a short-term program but a long-term program to support the health-promoting university program," Agung said.
Agung said, for the long term, the Faculty of Pharmacy recommends UGM Pharmacy to produce large quantities to be sustainable. Several lecturers assigned to the UGM Pharmacy to conduct counseling because the pharmacy itself affiliated with the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM.
Agung admitted that the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM, through the Pharmacy Management and Community Pharmacy Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceuticals, is hard to find the raw materials to meet the needs in the short term at this time. Even though the raw materials exist, the production is expensive. Therefore, the production is still in a limit number.
"Per bottle is more expensive compared to normal days. This phenomenon is because the stock in the field began to decrease because of big demand. It is an economic law when the demand is increasing, the stock becomes limit, so it becomes more expensive," he said.
Not only the raw material and composition of the hand sanitizer maker, but now the packaging bottles are also expensive, and they are starting to disappear from the market. Therefore, the units, faculties, or universities that already have hand sanitizer products suggested not to throw away their bottle packaging.
"In that way, it is enough to buy the refills, and the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy provides refills. Soon, UGM Pharmacy will provide hand sanitizer bottles and refills," he explained.
Muvita Rina Wati, M.Sc., Apt, from the Laboratory of Pharmacy Management and Community Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, UGM Faculty of Pharmacy, said that the demand for hand sanitizers at the UGM campus was quite high lately. Demand for units, faculties, and universities has reached 500 - 700 liters.
Of this number, people have canceled their orders due to the thinning of raw materials and packaging of pam bottles disappearing from the market. Thus, not only expensive, but the products also withdraw from the market.
"The previous price of a normal bottle before the widespread of Coronavirus is only around six thousand rupiahs. Now it turns out to 14 thousand, it’s doubling up, it has reached the pivot, but until now, there has been no news about the products," she said.
Muvita Rina admitted that making hand sanitizers was quite easy, and the formula was simple. According to him, the antiseptic principle to eradicate microalgae is enough with 60 percent alcohol.
Other ingredients include glycerin, water, and hydrogen peroxide. People are not necessary to test this formula twice because WHO had released the recipe several years ago.
"There is already scientific evidence related to its effectiveness, so we follow the recommendation. We suggested to use Aquadesh water (distilled water), also use hydrogen peroxide with a tiny percentage of 0.25 percent," Mevita said.
From 500 - 700 liters of hand sanitizer needs at UGM, UGM Pharmacy Faculty in normal conditions is only able to produce 200 liters in a day. Therefore, if you want to replicate, it is now enough with alcohol at a minimum level of 60 percent.
"This is an alternative because finding alcohol is not as difficult as finding an antiseptic. Looking for a hand sanitizer or antiseptic for a hand at a pharmacy will be more difficult. Using 70 percent of alcohol is enough. However, if we do not mix it with glycerin for widespread use, our skin will be drier," Mevita added.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Translator: Natasa A