Some local manufacturers of hand sanitizers have attributed the increases in the prices of the product to high cost in raw materials and other inputs used in the production.

According to them, prices of alcohol, essential oils, gel, glycerin and others, have all been increased in recent times.

Madam Joyce Akoto, Marketing Manager of Vicky Cosmetics, manufacturers of “Bacti Gel”, told the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi that, the recent increases in the prices of the product by producers was not designed to get underserved profits.

She said though the confirmation of COVID-19 in Ghana had increased demand for hand sanitizers that was not the reason for the increases in the prices of the product.

Madam Akoto, said the outbreak of the disease in the country had rather, reinforced the importance of the use of sanitizers to improve personal hygiene and reduce infectious diseases.

“Before the confirmation of COVID-19, sales of hand sanitizers were very low, people didn’t even know the importance of sanitizers.

“People are now beginning to understand the need for hand sanitizers at all times to help prevent infections both at home, offices, workplace, markets and everywhere,” she emphasised.

The 120-millilitre bottle of hand sanitizer, which used to sell at GHC3.00 before the outbreak is now selling at GHC10.00, while the 500-millilitre bottle which used to sell at GHC25.00 is now selling at GHC35.00.

Madam Grace Boadu, a retailer told the GNA that before the outbreak of COVID-19, people were not buying hand sanitizers at all.

“Before the outbreak, the purchase of hand sanitizers was very low. I could order for five boxes each of which contained 40 bottles. It could take about two months before I could sell one box,” she quipped.

Mr Yaw Marfo, a phone shop owner at Adum, however, told the GNA that the astronomical increases in the prices of hand sanitizers were very sad, especially at the time the country was in such situation.

“It is very bad, how retailers are selling hand sanitizers four times the normal price to us,” he told the GNA.

Mr Marfo appealed to the government to intervene to bring the prices down to enable the majority of Ghanaians to have easy access to the product to help prevent the spread of the diseases in the country.