The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana has sampled some COVID-19 donations received from the Chinese Government for laboratory tests to ascertain whether or not it is safe for use in the country.

The donations, which arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on Saturday, April 19, would not be used until the laboratory test results were released by the FDA.

The donations included cover-ups, protective clothing, gloves, nose masks and positive airway pressure equipment.

In a telephone interview with Mr Eric Karikari Boateng, the Head of Laboratory at the FDA, he said the donations were received and the FDA sampled some to be tested at the laboratory.

He said the FDA would test the samples to ensure that they were free from pathogens, noting that the results from the test would be made available in a week’s time.

The FDA Ghana is mandated by the law to regulate and ensure the safety of products such as food, allopathic medicines, cosmetic and household chemicals, tobacco and substances of abuse, herbal, biologics and medical devices.

It also has the mandate to regulate the premises where the production of the regulated products are carried out.

The Authority has, since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana, taken lots of drastic measures to reduce its spread including the fast-tracking of the registration process of hand sanitizers to ensure the availability of quality, safe and effective hand sanitizers on the market to protect the public.

Currently, there are 327 FDA Ghana-registered hand sanitizers available for use.