Bolgatanga-Ghana, Dec. 12. GNA – The Upper East Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has disposed of unwholesome regulated products worth GH₵57,400.00 in Bolgatanga.
The FDA in its routine Post Market Surveillance activities in the Region, retrieved several unwholesome products including food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, herbal medicines, food supplements and household chemicals from the market.
The Surveillance was conducted over the third and fourth quarters of 2022, per the Authority’s mandate in section 132, subsection two, three and four of the Public Health Act 2012, (Act 851) which required the FDA to undertake disposal of unwholesome regulated products in the country.
In a statement after the disposal exercise, Mr Sebastian Mawuli Hotor, the Regional Head of the FDA said “The purpose of this disposal exercise is to rid the market of expired, counterfeit, contaminated, unregistered and all other kinds of unwholesome regulated products.”
He added that the disposal was also intended to prevent potential re-entry of the unwholesome products into the supply chain.
He said the disposal consignment was seized and detained from pastry flour shops, provision shops, Over the Counter Chemical Sellers Shops, pharmacies, warehouses, herbal clinics, cosmetic shops, and the open market across all 15 Municipalities and Districts in the Region.
Mr Hotor advised members of the public to check for expiry date and registration status of products before they bought them, and ensure they purchased regulated products from accredited and recognised outlets or sources.
The Regional Head stressed on need for retailers to adhere to good storage and stocking practices such as First Expired First Out (FEFO) principle and urged citizens to report any person who sold expired, unregistered, and unwholesome products to the FDA via hotlines; 0299802932/0299802933 or send Short Message Service (SMS) to 4015.
The Regional Head said members of the public could also contact the Authority through WhatsApp, on 0206973065, Facebook @Food and Drugs Authority Ghana, twitter@gh_fda and on Instagram @Food and Drugs Authority Ghana.
“The FDA wishes to emphasize that ensuring public health and safety is our prime objective, and that our activities are always geared towards providing assurance of safe food, drugs, cosmetics, household chemicals, medical devices and all other regulated products in Ghana,” he said.
Mr Hotor acknowledged the collaboration of their stakeholders; the Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental and Sanitation Agency, the Ghana Standards Authority and the Ghana Police Service, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Health Service, the Pharmacy Council among others who complimented the efforts of the FDA to execute its mandate.
