Food contamination great threat to public health –Dr Orhii

These statements were made by Dr Paul Orhii, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), during a sensitization workshop on safe and responsible use of agrochemicals in Yola, Adamawa State recently.

The document made available to Sunday Trust said that contamination may occur through environmental pollution, poor waste management system and unsafe handling of toxic chemicals.

The DG told the audience that agricultural chemicals are compounds or mixtures of compounds used to increase the yield and quality of farm produce or to protect them from spoilage.

He added that globally, World Health Organisation estimates that at least three million cases of acute poisoning and 20,000 deaths occur annually due to exposure to pesticides.

Dr Orhii said in Nigeria it is the responsibility of NAFDAC to safeguard the public health and in view of this the management in line with its resolve for zero tolerance for fake/counterfeit medicines and other substandard regulated products has among other things; stepped up NAFDAC surveillance at all ports of entry, which led to the interception of several consignments of fake/counterfeit medicines and other substandard regulated products, improved public enlightenment campaign by carrying out market to market sensitization all over the country to educate marketers on dangers of retailing banned products, established collaboration with Chinese and Indian governments towards meting out stiffer penalties for drug fakers and counterfeiters.