The Food and Drugs Authority has seized and destroyed various quantities of unwholesome products, valued at about GHC172, 327.70, to deter people from dealing in such items.
This followed an inspection conducted by the FDA in 583 shops across the all the districts and municipalities in Bono East, Bono and Ahafo regions as part of efforts to protect the health and safety of the public.
The products destroyed included unwholesome foods, drugs, herbal medicinal products, cosmetics, household chemicals, tobacco and tobacco products as well as some other FDA regulated products.
Madam Akua Amponsaa Owusu, the FDA boss responsible for the three regions, told our reporter that the cost of food items seized during the inspection is valued at Ghc 46,904.70 while that of drugs stand at about 119,355; with cosmetics, medical devices, household chemicals and tobacco & tobacco products costing some GhC 6,068.
“To ensure that the seized products do not get back onto the market, the FDA, in conjunction with other stakeholders, ensure the safe disposal of these products in a manner that is environmentally friendly,” she stated.
Madam Amponsaa Owusu noted that when the quality, safety, efficacy and good performance of FDA regulated products are guaranteed, the consumer’s health and safety can reasonably be assured.
Non-conformance
She added that in the execution of its mandate, the FDA registers products and monitors the performance of these products on the market through market surveillance, investigation of consumer complaints and inspections, among others.
“When non-conforming products are detected, they are immediately withdrawn from the market. Non-conformance can be as a result of expiry, damage to package material, poor storage leading to poor quality though product is not expired, unregistered products whose quality, safety, efficacy and performance cannot be assured,” she further explained.
She encouraged distributors, retailers and manufacturers to always ensure that they inform the FDA appropriately as required by the Public Health Act, 2012, for supervision of the safe disposal of these products.
“The Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), Section 132, sub-sections 2 and 3, says the FDA shall supervise the safe disposal of an unwholesome regulated product at a fee determined by the Authority, and a person shall not dispose of an unwholesome regulated product without the supervision of the FDA,” she stated.
About The Author
