NAFDAC decries dangers of drug hawkers, carbide ripened fruits in N/East
By Chima Azubuike
The Director-General National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has decried the dangers of drug Hawking and ripening of fruits with calcium carbide in the North-East.
Adeyeye, made this disclosure on Monday in her keynote address during a one-day sensitisation workshop organised for journalists, market men and women.
According to her, there was need to alert the general public using the media, stressing that alot of health challenges are caused by the processes involved in how the fruits are ripened.
Represented by NAFDAC Director Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr Patrick Omokpariola, Adeyeye noted that since 2019, the organisation has taken some decisive steps such as sensitisation of the public through different media outlets, enforcement through intelligence and raids in fruit markets that have resulted in seizures and destruction of violative products.
She said, “The ripening of fruits with carbides is another public challenge facing us today and the Agency has deployed a multifaceted approach to tackle the menace.
“Fruits provide the body with micronutrients that improve immunity and prevent diseases among other benefits. Fruit ripening is a unique aspect of plant development, which makes the fruit edible, softer, sweeter, more palatable, nutritious, and attractive.
However, the consumption of fruits such as mango, banana, plantain, guava, orange, grape, etc or any other fruits ripened with calcium carbide is dangerous to health.
“Fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide may be ripe on the skin, the inside remain unripe. You can identify such artificially ripened fruits if you notice that the fruits are all yellow whereas the stem is dark, this is true especially with banana and plantain. In addition, naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.”
While lamenting the challenges of drug hawkers in the region, Adeyeye bemoaned the menace its poses, adding that it has serious challenge to Healthcare Delivery System.
“Many Drug Hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of Death who expose essential and Life Saving Medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.
“Most of the drugs sold by the illiterate and semi-literate Drug Hawkers are counterfeit, substandard or expired, and therefore do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines.
“NAFDAC has noticed the dangerous practice of sale and consumption of fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide as well as illegal hawking of drugs in the open market,” Adeyeye said.
On negative market practices, Adeyeye warned those buying food items to desist from buying food items like salt, sugar in measure, adding that they would lose the fortification.
She added, “Bulk industrial food or food ingredients are issued import permits for end-users in the manufacturing industry such bulk items include cereals Cornflakes, Oat, Milk, and Beverages
NAFDAC has observed that bulk industrial food or ingredients that are not in the retail pack are being sold illegally in our markets. These bulk items are openly displayed and measured to unassuming buyers with little or no care from contamination.”
Also speaking, Director of Public Affairs, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, disclosed that the sensitisation was necessary to educate journalists on what to watch out for in distinguishing carbide ripened fruits.
Jimoh added, “This is part of the DG’s promise to sustain and strengthen NAFDAC’s existing collaboration with Association of Health Journalists in Nigeria towards mobilising, educating, sensitising, and conscientising Nigerian Journalists to play frontline role in our concerted efforts to eradicate the menace of drug hawking and ripening of fruits.”