By Muhammad Goronyo, Sokoto
While addressing the gathering, the Director-general of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Christianah said the sensitization campaign is presently holding in eight states of the federation simultaneously with the aim of creating awareness in one of the veritable regulatory mechanisms put in place by the NAFDAC to promote and protect the health of the people.
Represented by Pharm. Dauda Gimba, Director (north west zone)Kaduna, Moji said the event is another milestone in their bid to protect Nigerians against the deleterious effects of unwholesome food, Falsified Medical Products, Harmful Cosmetics, Poor Water and other Substandard Regulated Products.
“The key objective of this sensitization programme is to intensify and expand the scope of our informal and formal behaviour change communication strategies in order to reach the vulnerable communities especially at the grassroots”, averred Moji.
Professor Moji also informed the gathering that the advent of Covid-19 pandemic aggravated problems with the challenge posed by substandard and Falsified Personal Protective Equipment adding that the sensitization campaign will 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 products.
She asserted that campaign themes intend to address 12 public health challenges among which are the dangers of buying medicines from hawkers, abuse of codeine, self medication especially among youths and dangerous practice of using potassium bromate to bake bread.
Others are the use of Azo-dyes in palm oil which causes cancer, Low Level of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice by Lactating Mothers and its associated health hazards among others.
She acknowledged the contributions, support and encouragement by Members, Senate Committee on Healthcare Services led by its chairman, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe and his counterparts.
Speakers after speakers especially from the Police, NDLEA, Customs, NYSC members, Civil Defence Corps, Religious groups and civil societies among others all commended the agency for its foresight and promised to assist at all times to sanitize the society in that order.
Earlier, the state Coordinator Mal Garba Abubakar Adamu while welcoming the quests emphasized on the need for the general public to make use of what they had learnt during the meeting and challenged all those that attended the meeting develop the system of train the trainer attitude.
