Health Alert: NAFDAC intensifies sensitisation, crackdown on bleaching cream outlets

*Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, discloses the agency is taking ‘stringent regulatory actions to stem the dangerous tide of rampant and pervasive cases of using bleaching creams’ among Nigerian consumers

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Concerned about the negative effects of rampant cases of using bleaching creams, Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced raid on bleaching outlets in the six geo-political zones of the country.

ConsumerConnect reports Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, stressed consumers have no health benefit to the procurement and use of bleaching creams.

Adeyeye said this Thursday, April 27, 2023, during the North East Zonal Media Sensitisation Workshop on the Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Control, in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

Represented at the forum, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research of the health regulatory agency, Prof. Adeyeye stated: “We are taking stringent regulatory actions to stem the dangerous tide of rampant and pervasive cases of using bleaching creams.

The Director-General disclosed the dangers of bleaching creams include cancer, damage to vital organs, skin irritation and allergies.

“We immediately took some decisive steps such as the sensitisation of the public through different media outlets,” including enforcement through intelligence and raids at trade fairs, markets and shops across the country.

She disclosed the agency’s raids on the outlets had resulted in large seizures and destruction of unauthorised products.

“This is a deliberate strategy of mobilising, educating and sensitising stakeholders and the general public.”

The health regulatory agency, therefore, challenged media professionals to play their roles in public sensitisation and enlightenment towards eradicating the menace of bleaching creams in the West African country.

Adeyeye also noted: “A lot of scarce resources are being wasted on the illegal production, importation and use of the various bleaching creams.

“Today’s (Thursday’s) workshop is a training the trainers’ programme where 60 journalists will be in the vanguard of campaigns against bleaching creams.”

The NAFDAC Director-General assured the agency would constantly engage the media, as it strives to extend the positive impact of raids to the grassroots.

Also in his paper presentation titled, ‘The Cosmovigillance Best Practices’, Dr. Bukar Usman, North-East Director of NAFDAC, declared that the regulatory agency is very much concerned because  a lot of resources are used to destroy the lives of several Nigerian consumers.

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