NAFDAC begins campaign against dangerous use of codeine, self-medication, others


The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Monday flagged off sensitization campaign against abuse of codeine, self-medication among youth and use of potassium bromate to bake bread.


The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Christianah Adeyeye, at a press conference held at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, Osun State, expressed displeasure over the rate at which some ingredients are causing death to the people.


Adeyeye who was represented by the Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Sheriff Olagunju, stated that the 3-day sensitization campaign will focus on the ranger of using formalin, (a substance used to embalm dead person) to preserve chicken, use of sniper to preserve any type of food or to keep flies away from meat.


Also, dangers of buying medicines from hawkers, abuse of codeine and self-medication especially among youths, dangerous effects of using kerosene tanker to load groundnut oil, use of Azo-dyes in palm-oil which causes cancer, will be addressed in the campaign.


The NAFDAC boss added that dangers of transfat and consumption of excessive oil, low level of exclusive breastfeeding practice by lactating mothers and its associated health hazards, dangers of wrong use of pesticides and insecticides, wrong use of chemicals and its hazardous effects and problem of antimicrobial resistance arising from animal meat, are also target of the campaign.


The Osun stats governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Public Health, Pharm. Siji Olamiju, lauded the NAFDAC for the initiative, saying that “the sensitization campaigns will therefore contribute significantly to Federal Government’s concerted efforts to inform, sensitize, educate and alert the public about inherent dangers of intake and use of those spurious regulated products.


He said, “this 3-Day Awareness and Sensitisation Programme by NAFDAC is a welcome addition to our efforts at making health care delivery available and affordable by our people.


“Awareness and sensitization are critical to effective drug administration and healthcare delivery as they are the vehicles for achieving the vision and programmes of government, health agencies and providers.


“The effective management of awareness and sensitization campaign will go a long way to reduce incidents of drug and food abuse in the State.”