FDA destroys 4.8 tonnes of unwholesome products in Cape Coast
The Central Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has disposed of more than 4.8 tonnes of unwholesome regulated products worth thousands of cedis in Cape Coast.
The FDA retrieved and confiscated the products on its routine post-market surveillance activities from January to September.
Others were voluntary safe disposal of harmful products by companies.
The seized items comprised 1.65 tonnes of herbal medicines, 1.45 tonnes of allopathic medicines, 1.3 tonnes of Food products, 0.28 tonnes of Cosmetics, and 0.12 tonnes of Household chemicals.
The surveillance was conducted based on the Authority’s mandate in the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851).
The Act mandates the FDA to undertake the disposal of unwholesome regulated products such as food, allopathic, herbal and veterinary medicines, biological products, medical devices, cosmetics, household chemical substances, clinical trials, tobacco and tobacco products, and substances of abuse.
Ms Francisca Obeng, the Regional Head of the Authority, told the Ghana News Agency that the disposal was intended to prevent the potential re-entry of unwholesome products into the supply chain.
She assured the public of sustained market surveillance operations to rid the market of expired, counterfeit, contaminated, unregistered, and all other kinds of unwholesome regulated products.
The public were advised to check the expiry dates and registration status of products before they bought them, and ensure they purchased regulated products from accredited and recognized outlets or sources.
They should also report to the Authority people who sold expired, unregistered, and unwholesome products for public safety.
“The FDA wishes to emphasize that ensuring public health is our prime objective.
“We are geared towards providing assurance of safe food, drugs, cosmetics, household chemicals, medical devices and all other regulated products in Ghana,” she said.
Ms Obeng acknowledged the collaboration of the Authority’s stakeholders: the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental and Sanitation Agency, the Ghana Standards Authority and the Ghana Police Service to ensure the safety of consumers.
Source: GNA