The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says 77 Percent of Nigerian women use Skin Bleaching Creams.
Director-General of the Agency Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Made the disclosure during a Media Sensitization Workshop on Dangers of bleaching Creams and Regulatory Controls, held in Kano.
She Said, a World Health Organization (WHO) Research in 2018, Revealed that, Nigeria has the highest Prevalence use of Skin bleaching Creams in Africa..
Professor Majisola explained that, the Study Placed Nigeria highest above African Countries with 77%, Togo 59%, South Africa 35% and Senegal with 27%.
The Director General highlighted that,the Menace of Skin bleaching Creams, has become a National Health Emergency which requires concerted efforts to eradicate it.
Professor Majisola described Media as Indispensable to the Agency’s war against Skin bleaching Creams, which commenced since last year.
“Part of the approach is consultation and sensitization meeting like this. Another is heightened raid on the cream outlets”She Said.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, NAFDAC Director of Public Affairs, Dr.Abubakar Jimoh, Maintained that the Workshop was to educate the Mass Media, with the Right Information to Campaign against use of bleaching creams in Nigeria.
He stressed that ,Public ignorance is not an excuse before the law, saying that, the role of Mass Media in Promotion of Public Health is Very Important, not only for Cosmetics and all other NAFDAC Regulatory Products.
Papers were Presented on negative effects of Skin bleaching , Regulatory Control of Cosmetics in Nigeria, by Deputy Director NAFDAC, Mrs Anto Ebele and Deputy Director Regulatory, Mrs Linda Halim.
Radio Nigeria reports that, the Media Sensitization Workshop on Dangers of bleaching Creams and Regulatory Controls, was attended by the President, Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ), Mr. Hassan Zaggi, Management Staff of NAFDAC, and Journalists from the North West, among others.
COV/KHADIJAH ALIYU