..Vows to tackle unwholesome food
The National Agency for food and Drugs Administration And Control (NAFDAC yesterday lamented the high rate of substandard medical products and Personal Protective Equipments in the country.
The agency also said the continuous use of substandard products would slow down government’s effort to promote and safeguard the health of the people.
DAFDAC director General, Moji Christiana Adeyeye, while speaking at the Flag-Off of the Agency’s Sensitisation Campaign in Abuja, said her agency has mapped out strategies to combat the scourge of substandard products and unwholesome flood in the country.
She said the first stage of the fight against the menace of substandard products was sensitisation campaign across the country.
According to her, the agency would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that perpetrators of substandard products and unwholesome food are brought to book.
She said “NAFDAC under my watch will not leave any stone unturned in our concerted efforts to rid the Country of the menace of falsified medical products, unwholesome food, harmful Cosmetics, Poorly packaged Water and other Substandard regulated products”.
stating further that the sensitization campaign was scheduled to hold in Eight States of the Federation, the NAFDAC boss said the first Phase of the campaigns will hold in selected states across the country from August to September, 2021.
According to her: “Public Awareness Campaign is One of the veritable regulatory mechanisms put in place by NAFDAC to promote and protect the health of our people.
“A well informed, sensitized and educated Citizenry is the bedrock of effective regulation. This is why today’s event is another major milestone in our bid to protect Nigerians against the deleterious effects of unwholesome food, falsified medical products, Harmful Cosmetics, Poor Water and other Substandard regulated products.
“The key objective of this sensitization programme is to intensify and expand the scope of our informal and formal behaviour change communication strategies in order to reach the vulnerable communities especially at the grassroots.
” Dissemination of Food and Drug safety information is an important aspect of our regulatory work.
“It is common knowledge that Nigeria has a preponderant share of the global problem of falsified medical products and unwholesome food”
She said the advent of Covid-19 Pandemic has aggravated the problem with the challenge posed by substandard and falsified Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
The NAFDAC boss noted that “the Sensitization campaigns will therefore contribute significantly to Federal Government’s concerted efforts to inform, sensitize, educate and alert the public about inherent dangers of intake and use of those spurious regulated products.
“The campaign themes are multifaceted with clear, concise, informative and educative messages aimed at arousing the awareness and consciousness of the general public about the various infractions that impact negatively on our healthcare delivery system.
“These Campaign themes intend to address the following public health challenges:
“Dangers of buying medicines from hawkers. Patients are to buy medicines from only licensed Pharmacies and Medicine Stores.
Abuse of Codeine and self-medication especially among youths.
“The dangerous effects of using Kerosene tanker to load groundnut oil.
Dangerous practice of using potassium bromate to bake bread.
Use of Azo-dyes in Palm oil which causes cancer
Dangers of using Sniper to preserve any type of food or to keep flies away from meat.
Dangers of transfat and consumption of excessive oil.
“Use of formalin on food and its associated health hazards.
Low level of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice by Lactating Mothers and its associated health hazards.
“Dangers of wrong use of pesticides and insecticides.
Wrong use of chemicals and its hazardous effects.
“Problem of antimicrobial resistance arising from animal meat” she said.
While informing that the Mass Media, Vibrant Youth Organisations and Civil Societies in the pilot states will be in the forefront of the Sensitization campaigns, Adeyeye said the target audiences are Market Women and Men, Road Transport Workers and Employers, Community Youth Organisations and Students.
Speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe said the sensitisation campaign was timely, urging relevant stakeholders to work with the agency in achieving the fit
He said Senate would give banking to the effort of the agency in riding the country of substandard products and unwholesome food.
