With technical collaboration and funding from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Infectious Diseases Institute at Makerere University (IDI) established six Alcohol Based Hand Rub (ABHR) production units in Kabarole, Kasese, Tororo, Amuru, Moroto and Kotido districts in Uganda to increase access among health workers and the community in target locations.

“All we got was 24 litres, which could only serve two big health care facilities for a month,” Tumuhairwe explains. “As such, use of the hand sanitizers was limited to senior healthcare workers. However, with the ability to now produce their own hand rub, everyone is covered.” “We have enough stock now,” she adds, noting that they are able to produce 40 litres of hand sanitizer in just 10-20 minutes.” –Olive Tumuhairwe, the Kabarole District IPC Focal Person, one of the beneficiary districts.

Over 50,400 litres have since been produced and distributed to 218 health facilities, 7 Points of Entry and 60 community locations in 6 districts between October 2020 – July 2022.

Dr. Amy Boore, who leads CDC’s disease outbreak and emergency response efforts in Uganda commented on the district-led local model for the production of ABHR and rollout of ABHR programs as a key IPC outbreak preparedness package.

“Our CDC technical teams have continued advocating with health leaders to strengthen the district-led model for production and distribution of ABHR—and hope to strengthen it more through the Ministry of Health infection prevention and control pillar.”

Conclusion: Leveraging existing distribution systems while building local capacity for ABHR production and distribution will improve the longevity of such innovations in similar resource-limited settings.

IDI in collaboration with other partners is supporting the Ministry of Health to develop concepts for sustainable to local production of Alcohol-Based Hand Rub, especially during response to outbreaks.