The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Moji Christianah Adeyeye has advised Nigerians not to purchase bulk industrial food or ingredients that are not in the retail pack due to their susceptibility to contamination.
Adeyeye listed those foods to include: Cornflakes, Oat, Milk, Milo and other Beverages saying they are being sold illegally in the open markets to unassuming buyers.
Speaking on Thursday during South-South Zone, NAFDAC Media Sensitization Workshop on “Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide” held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, the NAFDAC DG who was represented by Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Director, Chemical Evaluation & Research said the call became necessary to prevent the risk of taking substandard, adulterated, contaminated as well as expired food with grave health implications.
She also warned against the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide and patronizing drug hawkers noting that calcium carbide contains impurities such as arsenic, lead particles, and phosphorus which pose several serious health hazards even as she said that consumption of fruits containing these impurities may cause cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure, frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer among others.
Unpacked Beverages, Fruits Ripened With Calcium Carbide
The NAFDAC boss further warned that the impurities are hazardous to pregnant women and children and may lead to headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral oedema (swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids), sleepiness, and seizure.
On drug hawking, the NAFDAC DG said they (Drug hawkers) are ‘knowingly or unknowingly merchants of Death’ who expose essential and Life Saving Medicines to harsh weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turns them into poisons thus endangering human lives.
She noted that most of the drugs sold by these hawkers whom she described as ‘illiterate and semi-literate Drug Hawkers” are counterfeit, substandard or expired, and therefore do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines.”
She also said the agency has put up modalities to engender maximum sensitization to the nooks and crannies of the country and to clampdown on those involved in the illicit trade stressing that those found culpable would face the full wrath of the Law
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, called on Nigerians to join hands in the fight against these illicit activities saying that the agency would ensure that fake drugs are eliminated to save the health of Nigerians.
Jimoh said the sensitization workshop was to partner with Journalists and stakeholders to disseminate the dangers of drug hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide to members of the public.
