Category: Health and Environment

Flowerbudnews

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has advocated optimal breastfeeding by nursing mothers to strengthen the health and natural immune system of babies.

Prof  Adeyeye, who was Speaking during the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week celebration, disclosed that breastfed babies had stronger immunity, and a reduced risk of suffering many childhood illnesses and infections.

A NAFDAC statement by Sayo Akintola, Resident Media Consultant also quoted the NAFDAC Boss as saying that breastfeeding of children also helped to  lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers in women.

Flowerbudnews reports that the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week celebration, had the theme; Enabling breastfeeding, making a difference for working parents,

Prof Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had created an Office of Women’s Health, a multi-disciplinary center where issues that concern maternal and child health will be continuously addressed.

She stressed that the women Health Office was part of the Agency’s efforts to underscore the importance of creating an enabling environment for child health.

Prof. Adeyeye was represented at the event by the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mrs. Eva Edwards.

The NAFDAC DG added that breastfeeding was also associated with longer-term health benefits including reduced risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence.

She explained that breastfeeding also provided health benefits to mothers, by helping to prevent postpartum bleeding, support child spacing, lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancers and earlier return to pre-pregnancy body weight.

According to the NAFDAC boss, this years theme was apt as it was aimed at strengthening the collaboration of actors across different levels of society to support and promote breastfeeding for working parents so that women can combine breastfeeding and work.

She added that this is important because workplace challenges remain one of the most common reasons for women to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended.

Prof Adeyeye further explained that a workplace needed adequate breastfeeding facilities to become a breastfeeding-friendly workplace, adding that lack of conducive breastfeeding environment especially for working mothers hinders breastfeeding of infants.

With provision of appropriate lactation rooms in workplaces, she maintains that employers stand to benefit as it leads to happier, more dependable, and productive employees.

‘’It also leads to reduced absenteeism because breastfeeding employees babies get sick less often and less severely’’, she said.

Prof. however, maintained that there is still a lot of work to be done in creating an enabling breastfeeding environment to promote the best nutrition, health, and environmental outcomes.

One contributory strategy to achieving this, she said, is enforcing compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes established to protect and promote breastfeeding and protect mothers from inappropriate marketing of breastmilk substitutes by industry.

She pointed out that the Agency is resolute in her commitment to promoting and protecting breastfeeding and recognizes the threats that aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) poses to optimal breastfeeding practice.

She stressed that the revised Marketing of Infant and Young Children Food and other Designated Products (Registration, Sales etc.) Regulations has incorporated subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions and recommendations on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

Amongst other provisions, she said, it prohibits unethical marketing practices by infant food manufacturers.

‘’This is in recognition of the fact that aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes is among the factors that contribute to undermining breastfeeding and is associated with decreases in breastfeeding rates.’’

”While we will continue to strengthen the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and our national regulations, she implored everyone to join hands with NAFDAC as breastfeeding is a cost-effective investment in the nations health, economy, and future workforce.”

The DG stated that this years theme was intended to enhance support for breastfeeding at work and galvanize action on improving working conditions and relevant support for breastfeeding. She added that it would address a strategic opportunity to advocate for essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding and workplace space for breastfeeding.

She further explained that evidence shows that optimal breastfeeding is vital to the lifelong good health and wellbeing of women and children, stressing that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, feeding the child only breast milk for the first 6 months (exclusive breastfeeding), and continuing to breastfeed for up to 24 months or beyond, with introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months.

The stance of the Agency on breastfeeding aligns very well with the creation of NAFDAC Office of Women’s Health (NOWH).

Speaking in the same vein, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) Lagos Chapter emphasized that nutrition is essential for a healthy breastfeeding journey. The Programme Team Lead of NSN, Lagos Chapter, Mrs. Chioma Emma-Nwachukwu, admonished mothers to also maintain a balanced diet and stay hydrated to provide the best for their little one.

‘’Your diet influences the quality of your breastmilk and, in turn, affects your baby’s health. Embrace foods that boost lactation and enhance your baby’s well-being’’, she said. (Flowerbudnews)

By Isaiah Eka

Flowerbudnews

Bauchi: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has raised concerns about the dangers of indiscriminate use of Calcium Carbide and other dangerous chemicals to ripen fruits and cautioned those who do such to desist as the action is injurious to Nigerians.

NAFDAC also warned Nigerians on the danger of patronizing hawkers of drugs saying the potency of such drugs has been compromised hence such drugs can cause more harm than solve the problems they ought to solve.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye gave the warning at a sensitization programme held in Bauchi, Bauchi State for stakeholders including media practitioners, traders and other.

Prof Adeyeye decried the actions of some fruit sellers who use calcium carbide to ripen their fruits, advised Nigerians to allow fruits to ripen naturally and also patronize drugs sold only in qualified outlets like the pharmacy.

In her keynote address delivered at the North-East Zonal NAFDAC media sensitisation workshop on “Dangers of Drug hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide,” the DG that “Many drug hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of death.

Prof Adeyeye was represented at the event by Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, NAFDAC’s Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research.

The NAFDAC Boss lamented that hawkers exposed essential and life-saving medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.

“Most of the drugs sold by 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.

”Drug hawkers are also the major distributors and suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks. Drug hawkers constitute a serious threat to our national security.

“Drugs are sensitive life-saving commodities which should not be sold on the streets/motor parks or open markets just like any other article of trade. I wish to warn you that any drug hawker arrested by NAFDAC will be prosecuted, and will face a jail term, and our Enforcement Officers are currently carrying out synchronized nationwide operations. In this regard, we solicit the cooperation and support of all other law enforcement agencies, journalists, and well-meaning Nigerians in riding the country of this harmful and shameful practice.”

On chemicals used in ripening fruits, she added, “Fruits provide the body with micronutrients that improve immunity and prevent diseases among other benefits. Fruit ripening is a unique aspect of plant development, which makes the fruit edible, softer, sweeter, more palatable, nutritious, and attractive. However, the consumption of fruits such as mango, banana, plantain, guava, orange, grape, etc or any other fruits ripened with calcium carbide is dangerous to health.

“Calcium carbide generally contains impurities such as arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, etc., that pose several very serious health hazards just as consumption of fruits containing these impurities may cause cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure. They may also cause frequent thirst, irritation in the mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer, and so forth.

Higher exposure may cause undesired fluid build-up in the lungs (pulmonary oedema). Acetylene produced by Calcium Carbide affects the neurological system and reduces oxygen supply to the brain and further induces prolonged hypoxia. 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, seizure etc.

Calcium carbide is alkaline in nature and erodes the mucosal tissue in the abdominal region and disrupts intestinal functions. Consuming such artificially ripened fruits could result in sleeping disorders, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, kidney problems and possibly even cancer. Other symptoms of poisoning include diarrhoea (with or without blood), burning or tingling sensation in the abdomen and chest difficulty in swallowing, irritation in the eyes/skin, sore throat, cough, shortness of breathing, numbness etc.

“It is gratifying to announce that apart from sensitization campaigns and Enforcement activities, NAFDAC has commissioned a scientific study on the best approach towards mitigating the health hazards posed by ripening of fruits with carbides.”

Meanwhile, papers presented by diverse experts reinforced the need to shun the indiscriminate use of chemicals in food and other products. Goodwill messages were received from stakeholders in attendance and media practitioners from Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States attended the event (Flowerbudnews)

Flowerbudnews

… No Post Marketing Surveillance Unit, No Product Renewal

By Biola Lawal
Lagos (Flowerbudnews): The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye,  has warned food manufacturing companies to set up post marketing Surveillance units or be denied product renewal.

Prof Adeyeye gave the warning at a NAFDAC engagement function with bigger food companies over poorly incinerated cereals that still sneak into the market as unbranded products posing dangers to consumers.

The function was organised by NAFDAC’s Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators, Sayo Akintola, the Agency’s Resident Media Consultant disclosed in a statement.

The NAFDAC Boss stated that Company Post Marketing Surveillance units would enhance realisation of desired conformance to safety practices in processing, production, packaging, distribution, and storage of pre-packaged foods to further safeguard public health.

L-R: Chairman, Technical Committee of the Association of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) Nigeria, Mr. Fred Chiazor, Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), NAFDAC, Mrs Eva Edwards, Director, Investigation and Enforcement (I&E), NAFDAC, Mr. Ononiwu Francis Ezeribe at the Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators in Lagos …Friday

L-R: Director, Food Registration and Regulation, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abayomi Bolaji Julian mni,m

She urged manufacturers of food products to always be more concerned about their products in the market by establishing Post Market Surveillance unit in their companies.

She recalled that years ago, the Agency had made Post Marketing Surveillance (PMS) mandatory for companies, but compliance has been poor.

She warned that ”henceforth, if a company doesn’t have Post Marketing Surveillance or Post Marketing Pharmacovigilance (for drug manufacturing Companies) department, the product will not be renewed.”

‘’We have asked companies to establish PMS dept where they send people out to the market to see what is happening to their products out there.

Once you get an inkling of somebody adulterating your product you call us because you don’t have power to go with the police. We have the power to go and raid.

”That’s why we need collaboration because we must change our industrial practice. That’s how to get the best out of your trade. Once you tell us, I assure you we will be there in hours in terms of mopping it up and getting the suspect arrested and prosecuted.” She said.

L-R: Director, Food Registration and Regulation, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mrs. Abayomi Bolaji Julian mni, Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), NAFDAC, Mrs. Eva Edwards at the Stakeholders Engagement with food sector operators in Lagos . Friday.

Prof  Adeyeye called for more food safety consciousness and compliance for continuous improvement in imbibing a food safety culture amongst industry players and consumers.

This, she said, ”will make for the desired conformance to safety practices in processing, production, packaging, distribution, and storage of pre-packaged foods.”

Prof Adeyeye declared that NAFDAC would no longer accept poorly destroyed expired or stolen products sneaking into the market through scavengers at waste dump site.

These practices, she noted, was endangering lives of innocent consumers, particularly, children.

She also insisted that ‘’if a product doesnt have NAFDAC number we cant guarantee the safety’’.

Unequivocally condemning the habit of patronizing unbranded cereals in the open market, Prof. Adeyeye warned that when a product is not certified by NAFDAC it is not advised that anybody should consume it.

She added that the unbranded products in the market, do not have NAFDAC registration/marketing authorization number.

Prof Adeyeye emphasized that all the products that have gone through the regulatory processes are packaged with NAFDAC registration number on them.

‘’We cannot speak to the safety of unbranded food in the open market. We do not know where they have come from. We don’t know anything about the expiry date. We cannot trace’. she said.

In 2021 and 2022, she recalled that the Agency carried out a lot of investigation and enforcement activities on unbranded cereals leading to the arrest of some people that were selling online in Onitsha and brought them to Lagos.

Delving into the psychology of the consumption pattern of the risky products, the DG disclosed that in the cause of investigation it was discovered that the people would prefer to buy the unbranded ones despite the inherent dangers associated with it.

‘’We considered the circumstances and the packaging, and we couldnt really understand whether it is cheaper’’, she said,

Prof Adeyeye added :  ‘’we found out that even some smaller packages, the smallest packages of cereals were also removed from the packaging materials and also sold in bulk. They add them together and sell online.

On the issue of the source of the cereals, the NAFDAC boss argued that some industries are also complicit in this. She said ‘’we found out that some of the cereals were picked up from dump sites in Agbara.

She said that investigations by the Agency revealed that the products were disposed through Ogun State Waste Management Authority, adding that the disposal methods of companies are also an issue.

‘’If you want to dispose of some bad or expired products, you are supposed to destroy it by NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, not by company directly through waste disposal authorities.

It will always get to scavengers who will sell it back to the market.

According to her, further investigations revealed that most of the products were stolen from company warehouses ‘’because we found out that not all the products had expired.

“Some of them were in company’s packaging materials when diverted to sell in retail prices online and in the marketplaces.’’

Last year the Agency uncovered two warehouses at Trade Fair Complex, Lagos loaded with N3 billion worth of counterfeit drugs and childrens cereals picked from dump sites.

‘’We also must sensitize the industry because if there are compromises in the industry it could lead to serious dangers to our health’’, she said, stressing that ‘’If the SOP in the industry says go and dump it in a dump site, the industry is at fault also’’.

She noted with a voice laden with grief that ‘’If the person that got it stolen from the factory is going to sell it less than the packaged material from the company, people will want to buy even if it has later been contaminated.

She however, called for the investigation and prosecution of those who took the products from the dump site for sale, adding that ‘’our climate is not very helpful when it comes to food preservation.

‘If it is in the open air, it’s going to start getting degraded. Thats why we should avoid exposure of food to the elements.

The DG who noted that she put a lot of premiums on food, added that ‘’the food we eat may make us ill and to be more dependent on medicine. If we make sure that people eat quality food, they will take less medicine.’’

‘’NAFDAC will continue to advocate for the support of her partners and stakeholders in the quest for better, safer, healthier, more nutritious food. We all stand to benefit from this as we are all consumers’’, Prof Adeyeye assured.

Nestle Nigeria Plc, Quaker Oat, Flour Mills, Coca Cola, Guinness, Oriental Foods, OK Foods, Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, Cadbury Nigeria Ltd, CHI Ltd, UAC and NB Plc are some of the over 50 food manufacturing companies at the forum. (Flowerbudnews)

Flowerbudnews

By Kevin Okunzuwa
Benin:.  The National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC), has certified the use of GLUCOZIL for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that GLUCOZIL, a herbal drug, is produced by Edo Government-owned Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma.

NAFDAC’s approval of the drug for public use was announced in a statement by Otunba Mike Aladenika, AAU Head, Corporate Communication, Office of the Vice Chancellor.
The statement was made available to NAN on Thursday in Benin.

“Its bid to reclaim its enviable position among the comity of institutions, grounded in research and higher learning, has received the approval of NAFDAC, as well as the rights of production and patents of GLUCOZIL.”

Dr Jonathan Emeka Emordi,
Head, Department of Pharmacology, and Sub-Dean, Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, AAU, who produced the drug, said “GLUCOZIL is a natural product that is prepared for the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus.

“GLUCOZIL as a natural product, manufactured to cause a regeneration of the better cells that have been destroyed.

“If the product is used for a very long period, it will not only manage diabetes but cure it completely,” Emordi said.

According to Emordi, GLUCOZIL which can be used for the management, treatment and cure of diabetes, has bonus clinical indications for the treatment of BPH, commonly known as enlarged prostate.

“In my analysis of the product, it was discovered that it has the capacity to shrink the prostate so that surgical operations can be avoided.

“The product is scientifically tested, right dose confirmed, safety proven in both humans and animals.

” It is also capable of flushing the human system. Simply put, it is a detoxifier. It has strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which makes it an immune booster.”

Commending Emordi, AAU acting VC, Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin, said the management was happy with the feat achieved at the College of Medicine and the Department of Pharmacology.
“We are proud of the ranking of our scholars who are determined to excel, do us proud despite the various human and environmental challenges.

“Management is proud of Dr. Emordi and I enjoin other scholars to see his achievement as motivation for them to break new grounds, open new frontiers of knowledge and innovation for the further progress of this university. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

By Biola Lawal

Abuja (Flowerbudnews): NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye has warned Nigerians to beware of four products found to contain steroids and banned substances injurious to human health.

Prof. Adeyeye gave the warning in a public notice issued by NAFDAC on the the implicated potent medicinal ingredients which may cause severe side effects on consumers, including muscular and bone disorders.

She disclosed that NAFDAC was notified of the dangerous products by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore, which confirmed that four consumers experienced adverse effects after taking three of the products.

The NAFDAC Boss said that the potent medicinal ingredients used in the implicated products were not allowed as they could cause severe side effects on consumers.

Prof Adeyeye said that Labouratory analysis conducted by HSA – Singapore on the products revealed that they contained potent medicinal ingredients, including steroids, sibutramine (a banned weight loss medicine) and tadalafil (an erectile dysfunction medicine).

She listed Information on the implicated products as follows:

Further details of the products as provided by HSA are as follows; Product Name   Potent medicinal  ingredients

Source    ‘ENRU PLUS+’Sibutramine (banned substance)Local e-commerce and social media platforms    ‘HKT HERBA KURUS

TRADISI’ Sibutramine (banned substance)
Local e-commerce platforms    ‘PILL HUA LUO CIN TAN Dexamethasone, Diclofenac, Prednisolone (potent steroids)

Local e-commerce platform; also bought overseas from Malaysia  ‘Spinach GINSENG   HERB SUGAR’ Tadalafil (potent anti-impotency
medicine).

Parcel post detained by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) (Singapore).

Possible Adverse Effects of Potent Ingredients Found in the Products Dexamethasone and Prednisolone. Dexamethasone and prednisolone are potent steroids that are usually prescribed for inflammatory conditions and should only be used under strict medical supervision.

Long-term unsupervised use of steroids can cause increased blood glucose levels (which may lead to diabetes), high blood pressure, cataracts, muscular and bone disorders.

It can also cause an increased risk of infections and Cushing’s syndrome (a round or ‘moon face’ appearance and upper body obesity with thin limbs).

Discontinuation of steroids without proper medical supervision can cause serious withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, confusion and low blood pressure.

Diclofenac: Diclofenac is a potent painkiller that may potentially cause serious gastric bleeding, as well as cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and stroke when used for a prolonged period.

Diclofenac should be used under close medical supervision, especially in consumers with underlying heart conditions.

Sibutramine: Sibutramine was a prescription-only medicine for weight loss but has been banned in Singapore since 2010 because of an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Other serious adverse effects including fast heart rate, hallucinations or hearing voices have also been reported by consumers who took slimming products adulterated with sibutramine.

Tadalafil: Tadalafil is a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction that should only be given under medical supervision.

Inappropriate use of tadalafil is dangerous and can increase the risk of serious adverse effects, including heart attack, stroke, headache, migraine, irregular heart rate and priapism (painful and exceedingly long erections).

Tadalafil can also pose serious risks to certain individuals, including those with heart-related problems.

It can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates.

PHOTOS OF PRODUCTS TESTED BY HSA

‘ENRU PLUS+’ ‘HKT HERBA KURUS TRADISI’

‘PILL HUA LUO CINTAN ‘Spinach GINSENG HERB SUGAR’

Prof. Adeyeye said that though the products were not in NAFDAC database, importers, distributors, retailers and consumers are advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of the above mentioned product.

She counselled that ”the product authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked. Members of the public in possession of any of the products should discontinue sale or use and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office”.

The NAFDAC Boss urged Healthcare professionals and consumers to report adverse events experienced with the use of the products to the nearest NAFDAC office, via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng,

E-reporting platforms available at www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med- safety application for download on android and IOS stores, she stated. (Flowerbudnews)

About Flowerbudnews

Established by Hon.  Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Flowerbudnews is a consortium of active journalists, media veterans and image makers in both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry determined to enhance the practice of responsible journalism.

Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.

Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars.

Lawal holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency)