Govt to cap hand sanitiser prices

PRICES   SANITIZERS   COVID-19

KAMPALA - The government is going to set a price cap for hand sanitizers, to allow increased access to sanitizers by members of the public, as a
measure to prevent COVID-19.

Evelyn Anite, the state minister of finance in charge of investments and privatization, on Monday, met with the Uganda Manufacturers Association ( UMA) leaders and said they would fix the prices to an affordable rate by the consumers.

Mulwana and Anite addressing manufacturers

The assurance comes as dealers in hand sanitizers have revised upwards prices for the hand sanitizers, as a result of the increased demand.

According to Barbara Mulwana, the chairperson UMA, the association had tasked all manufacturers for the hand sanitizers to publish price tags for their products, on which Ugandans should be buying the hand sanitizers.

Mulwana implored the government to implement the price cap that will be set by the manufacturers, to protect Ugandans from being cheated.

"The government should come out and enforce these prices so that our people are not cheated," Mulwana said.

Mulwana and Anite addressing manufacturers

 
In response, Anite said as soon as the production starts, the
the government would work with concerned authorities to ensure that the prices are not increased by retailers.

She said the government has partnered with domestic manufacturers of spirits who have offered to turn 7.3 million liters of spirits (alcohol) to hand sanitizers as one of the ways to fight the Coronavirus that has since invaded Uganda.

According to Anite, the government has tasked the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to keenly study the hand sanitizers produced by the companies, before certification. 

Anite engaging some of the sanitizer manufacturers