By: PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Akwa Ibom State has advanced step towards preventing the spread of CoronaVirus with the inauguration of automated disinfection chamber.
The automated disinfection chamber, which has the capacity to sanitise whole human body in three seconds, was inaugurated by the NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Julius Amusan yesterday in Uyo, the State Capital.
He said that the product was constructed by the corps members through the knowledge of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) thus subscribing their contribution to the fight against COVID-19.
Amusan said that NYSC management attached great importance to the SAED programme to ensure that corps members within the service year acquired addition skill to their knowledge.
Skill Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) is a programme which we train corps members in different skills.
The NYSC Coordinator applauded the corps members for the innovation and who did not let NYSC down when they were challenged and encouraged them to do what they did, “the result is this disinfectant chamber,” he added.
Mr. Amusan said the disinfection chamber would be useful to corporate organisations like banks, ministries and other agencies.
He urged other youths to emulate the corps members to bring out their potentials to enhance the development of the country.
Speaking to the engineer corps member who led the disinfectant chamber’s construction team, Mr. Adetifa Omoyemi, Electrical Electronics Engineering from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti said that the chamber was put together by some corps engineers and scientists.
He said that the automated disinfection chamber operates with electricity and could last as long as there was power supply.
He said that the materials used for the construction of the disinfection chamber met Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) standard.
“I studied Electrical Electronic Engineering. I have passion for buildings electronic stuffs. We saw the idea and we came up with our different teams.
“We have four groups of engineering, some work with electrical, Megatronic and I’m good with electronic and program hardwares.
“We came together, so it is not just one team. The only issue could be power failure, but when there is no power failure or damages on this chamber it can last long,” he said.
Also speaking to the scientist corps member who supervised the solution for disinfection, Mr. Okoye Chisom, a graduate of Biochemistry from Nnamdi Azikiwe University said they used approved disinfectant, which include sodium hypochloride at approved percentage to avoid damage to the skin.
“My name is Okoye Chisom, a graduate of Biochemistry from Nnamdi Azikiwe University. We used EPA approved disinfectant which one of them is sodium hypochloride, but with an approved percentage so that it will not irritate the body as well as do the work of disinfection.
“We also added little disinfectant property as ingredients to support the efficacy and make it to more effective.
“As we can see, once it is releases the spray and the disinfectant lands on your body, it has a maximum of five minutes contact and it start doing the job.
“This has to go through your body, while hand sanitisers only sanitise your hands. As you are turning 360 degrees it touches your hand bag, clothes and any other thing that might have come in contact with the virus,” he said.
