B/A FDA Destroys Expired Products In Sunyani

The Brong Ahafo Regional Branch of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has destroyed expired items worth Ghc45,912.5.

The items include damaged products, which were withdrawn from the market by the FDA and also submitted by the various companies in the region.

Head of the Brong Ahafo Regional branch of FDA, Mr. Matthew Gyang Nkum, speaking in an interview with Sunyani based radio Ahomka 90.5FM, on Thursday, after a team from his office disposed of a stockpile of unwholesome products valued at thousands of cedis at the Sunyani land field site, he said the affected products were collected within the last six months of the year.

According to him,"the public health Act (Act 851) section 132,subsections two (2) and three (3) mandates and requires the Food and Drugs Authority, FDA,to supervision the disposal of unwholesome FDA regulated products in a manners that does not pose not health risk to the general public. These products are safety disposed off in a manner that safeguards the environment and prevents the reintroduction into the supply chain for humans and animals consumption".

Goods destroyed included food items, drugs, herbal medicine products, cosmetics and household chemicals.

He said the seized drugs were valued at Ghc29.899, cosmetics, medical devices and household chemicals cost Ghc1607.6,while food products amounted to Ghc14,405.9.

He urged the public not to patronise unwholesome goods, especially during festivities such as Christmas and advised the public to be on the lookout for expired products on the market.

Mr.Nkum said "as we are in Christmas season traders and shop owners would be in a haste to sell off their old stock, which may include expired products,and should be vigilant, especially with very cheap products and those without labels or without inscriptions in English Language.

"Unwholesome products such as expired, improperly stored, improperly labelled, substandard, fake, adulterated food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and household chemicals when consumed in a certain amount may be injurious" he stated.

He said the Authority would continue to educate traders and the public on safety measures and urged those who had expired products to contact them for safe disposal.