The
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has
warned Nigerians against the consumption of vegetable oil and drugs that are
injurious to health.
The Director General of the agency, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye,
gave the warning when she flagged off of the sensitization campaign in the
North Central zone held in Ilorin on Thursday.
While speaking after the sensitization campaign to major markets
and roads in Ilorin metropolis, the NAFDAC boss said the aim was to protect
them against negative effects of unwholesome food, fake medical products,
harmful cosmetics, poor water and other substandard regulated products.
According to her, some market men and women in the attempt to
make profit mixed palm oil with “Azo dye” which is capable of causing cancer.
“If you see any vegetable oil that ‘sleeps’ in that market, that
is a potential killer because NAFDAC will never license any vegetable oil with
that characteristic.
“They
also use sniper on meat, fish and beans to prevent fly from perching and
eradicate weevils. Such products are dangerous when they are consumed. The
vegetable oil that has been transported with kerosene tanker is hazardous and
using potassium bromide to bake bread kills slowly. Consumption of excessive
oil and use of formalin on food has its associated health hazards”, she warned.
Represented at the event by the Director, North
Central of the agency, Mrs. Bolaji Abayomi, Adeyeye warned on dangers of buying
medicines from hawkers, recommending only licensed pharmacies and medicine
stores.
She said the campaign intends to address public health
challenges such as abuse of Codeine and self-medication, especially among
youths.
She encouraged mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding for
two years for good health of their children, adding that low level of exclusive
breastfeeding practice by lactating mothers will make the child susceptible to
various diseases and low IQ.
