Homemade face mask meeting the standards of Food and Drugs Authority.

Homemade face mask meeting the standards of Food and Drugs Authority.

Sophia Torvi, Accra.

 The Covid-19 pandemic has put the world into a stand-still by dominating the lives of people all over the world. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and in the space of 7 months 31.3 million cases and 965, 000 deaths have been recorded worldwide. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). More than 170 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19. During this period, the World Health Organization has urged the public to adhere to some safety protocols in order to regulate the spread of the virus. Safety protocols like frequently washing of hands with soap under running water, avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands, practicing good respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes, practicing social distancing and finally wearing a face mask have been introduced.

(A woman in a local nose mask)

Wearing a face mask helps prevent the spread of infection and prevent the individual from contracting any airborne infectious germs. Face masks are part of an infection control strategy to eliminate cross-contamination. Due to the fact that the corona virus is affecting the whole world, Ghana experiencing a dwindling supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs) as is the case globally, the Government of Ghana has engaged local manufacturing companies to assist in the domestic production of PPEs and has thus earmarked on the production of 3,600,000 face masks from local fabrics to help protect the general public from COVID19. Several individuals, households and other private sector organizations have also started local production of homemade face masks to offer self-protection especially in public places. Homemade face mask is a locally made face mask fashioned from breathable local cloth, fabric or material which may protect the user and those in close proximity from large respiratory droplets from coughs, sneezes or talking.

Food and Drugs Authority Building 

There is therefore a need for general information and guidelines to ensure proper and safe use and handling of these face masks. This policy will help to foster the availability of homemade face masks which may offer some health benefits to the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ghana Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) has given specific guidelines and standards on the production of homemade face mask. Materials in assembling a face mask according to the (FDA) are;

i. Two 10”-by-6” (25.40cm x 15.24cm) rectangles of cotton fabric (calico)

ii. Two 6” (15.24cm) pieces of elastic (or rubber bands, string, cloth strips, or hair ties) 

iii.  Needle and thread (or bobby pin) 

iv. Scissors

v.  Sewing machine

Specifications for the homemade face mask;

i. Dimension 

• Length: Cheek-to-cheek: 25.40cm • Width: 15.24cm • Thickness: Three layers- Not less than (NLT) 0.759mm

ii.  Porosity: NLT 10000 Pascal

iii.  Splash Test (Alcohol-based aerosol spray): No stain of alcohol-based aerosol should be seen at the reverse side of the face mask. Page 10 of 11

iv.  Filtration of Bacteria: Reduction of NLT 3 log

Producers argued that they do not make profit when they meet the standard required by the FDA. Producers of these homemade face mask complain due to the fact that the required materials for production are expensive. They sell a face mask which used to be GHC 5 for just GHC 1 and due to that they don’t make enough profit. Some producers claim they used to produce homemade face mask but due to the reduction of the price of face mask and the increment of the materials, they stopped producing homemade face mask. 

(A video of a homemade nose mask producer)

Another discouraging fact about homemade face mask production is that producers are to pay an application fee of GHC 750 and a manufacturing premises licensing fee of GHC 100.  With less face mask producers the FDA cannot help expand the availability and accessibility of homemade face masks for use by the general public. Producers are now left with the option of quitting production or producing face mask without the mindset of making profit but rather helping the general public. 

Ghana has recorded 46,062 cases so far, recoveries 45,258, and 297deaths. Ghanaian president Nana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has signed a law (E.I164) that criminalizes the act of not wearing a face mask that fully covers the mouth and nose in public places. Ghanaian courts have been granted the authority to hand both a fine and a jail term to the offenders when considered necessary, while the Ghanaian police are now entitled to assure citizens obey the new measure by application of the new executive instrument, signed by the president on June 15- Source: myjoyonline.