Ethanol Company Limited (EthCo) has donated 400 litres of laboratory-grade 96% neutral ethanol to Kamuzu College of Health Sciences (KUHeS) to be used in Biomedical Sciences.
Speaking during the symbolic presentation of the ethanol at KUHeS campus in Blantyre on Wednesday, EthCo Operations Manager, Derek Zamaere said they offered the support after the health training institution extended an appeal to them.
“We have got a creative shared value approach and when KUHeS requested ethanol for teaching purposes, we realised that it was aligned with our pillars of helping in the education and health sector. Although they are outside our catchment area in Nkhotakota, because of their impact on the country we thought we should assist.”
“This is the only institution that is training doctors and it is important for us to help them because they produce doctors that help our communities. As health issues are sorted out in the communities, it means our employees will also be healthy and be able to produce quality products,” he said.
KUHeS Acting Executive Dean for the School of Life Sciences and Allied Health Professions Dr Arox Kamng’ona commended EthCo for the support saying ethanol is used in most of their laboratory activities.
“The department of Biomedical Sciences comprises a chain of laboratories for both students and staff. This is because the study is foundational to medical and allied training because it teaches the structure and function of the human body. Therefore, the ethanol by EthCo will go a long way in our everyday work as a solvent for herbal extracts,” he said.
He therefore extended the appeal to other corporations to support the research work at the institution.
Before the presentation ceremony, Zamaere and other EthCo officials were given an opportunity to tour the facility especially laboratories to appreciate works the product will be used for.
The ethanol cost EthCo K600, 000.