In a shocking revelation, the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared a state of emergency on the rising cases of bleaching in Nigeria.
According to NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the problem of bleaching creams in Nigeria has become a national health emergency that calls for serious attention and a multi-faceted approach.
Prof. Adeyeye raised the alarm at a media sensitization workshop on Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Control, organized by the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists in Kano on Thursday.
She revealed that 77% of those who engage in bleaching in Nigeria are women, making it the highest in Africa compared to 59% in Togo, 35% in South Africa and 27% in Senegal.
“These scary statistics have shown that the menace of bleaching creams in Nigeria has become a national health emergency that requires a multi-faceted regulatory approach,” she said.
In response to these alarming statistics, the Federal Government, through the office of the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, wrote to NAFDAC last year seeking stringent measures to be implemented against the menace.
Prof. Adeyeye stated that the sensitization workshops in the six geo-political zones were part of the measures being taken by the agency to combat this issue.
“I wish to assure you that NAFDAC will henceforth constantly engage the mass media as we strive to bring down to the grass levels the positive impact of our regulatory activities,” she said.
The former National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmad Yakasai, also warned that the cases of bleaching among women and men, if not arrested, would create serious health cases in Nigeria.
NAFDAC Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, stated that the agency has only 3000 staff to cover the entire federation of over 200 million people.
Prof. Adeyeye warned that the harmful effects of bleaching creams include cancer, damage to vital organs, skin irritation, skin burn and rashes, wrinkles, premature aging, and prolonged healing of wounds.
