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.

According to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, there is no health benefit to the procurement and use of bleaching creams.

Adeyeye disclosed this, yesterday, during the North East Zonal Media Sensitisation Workshop on the Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Control, in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Represented by the Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, the DG said: “We are taking stringent regulatory actions to stem the dangerous tide of rampant and pervasive cases of using bleaching creams.

“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.

The raids, NAFDAC added, have resulted in large seizures and destruction of unauthorised products.

She said “This is a deliberate strategy of mobilising, educating and sensitising stakeholders and the general public,” she said, challenging journalists to play their roles in eradicating the menace of bleaching creams.

“A lot of scarce resources are being wasted on the illegal production, importation and use of the various bleaching creams. Today’s workshop is a training the trainers’ programme where 60 journalists will be in the vanguard of campaigns against bleaching creams,” she added.

She, therefore, assured that NAFDAC would constantly engage the media, as it strives to extend the positive impact of raids to the grassroots.

NAFDAC noted the dangers of bleaching creams including cancer, damage to vital organs, skin irritation and allergies.

The North East Director, NAFDAC, Dr. Bukar Usman, in the paper entitled ‘The Cosmovigillance Best Practices’ said the agency was very much concerned, as a lot of resources were used to destroy people’s lives. (The Guardian)

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