As health authorities respond to the current Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, a British manufacturer of water purification products for direct distribution to affected communities has warned that infection control preparedness must be planned long before a full-scale emergency occurs.
As health authorities respond to the latest Ebola outbreak, British manufacturer HydraChem is calling for greater focus on infection control preparedness. The image on the right shows the Ebola virus. Image credit: Hydrachem
Hydrachem has more than 50 years of experience in water purification and infectious disease control and currently supplies Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and UNICEF with Oasis water purification tablets and granules.
When dissolved, an aqueous hypochlorous acid solution is produced, which has far superior disinfecting power compared to liquid bleach. This makes it ideal for supporting water treatment and surface disinfection in environments where fast and reliable infection prevention and control measures are essential.
The company said the response highlights a real but significant challenge in outbreak planning: the principle availability of chlorine-based disinfection is not enough. Products must be able to be consistently stored, moved, prepared and used in geographies where infrastructure, access and supply chains can be under intense pressure.
Nicolas Barbieri, Chief Commercial Officer of HydraChem, commented:
“When an outbreak occurs, infection prevention often comes down to very practical questions: Can supplies be delivered quickly? Can they be stored safely? Can they be properly prepared? And can response teams use them consistently under pressure?
“These details are important. While liquid bleach continues to play an important role in infectious disease control, longer-shelf-life formats such as tablets and granules should also be part of the preparedness conversation, especially where transportation, storage, and continuity of supply pose major challenges.”
Although tablets and granules are not a substitute for broader infection prevention measures, they can offer practical benefits in humanitarian and public health settings. Its compact format, stability, and long shelf life make it easier to stockpile, transport, and deploy than liquid alternatives.
Hydrachem said the current Ebola response should prompt a broader discussion about how to plan for the supply of infectious disease control supplies before emergencies, rather than supplying supplies after demand has already surged.
Although preparedness is often talked about in broad terms, it is actually about decisions made long before an emergency begins.
Building an adequate stockpile of durable infection control formats, such as chlorine tablets and granules, is a practical step that can help ministries of health, NGOs, and humanitarian teams respond more quickly and consistently during outbreaks.
This is not to say that one product or one format is the answer to everything. It’s about ensuring teams in the field quickly have practical, reliable options that work in real-world situations. ”
Nicholas Barbieri, Chief Commercial Officer, HydraChem
Chlorine-based products are part of a broader infection prevention and control response, alongside PPE, isolation protocols, access to safe water, hygiene measures, community engagement, and clinical care.
