Dr. Monica Eimunjeze, Acting Director General (DG) of, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has warned Nigerians against using bleaching cosmetic items to lighten their skin, as this practice is harmful to their health.
She went on to say that using skin-bleaching products could result in skin redness, ulcers, cancer, blisters, swellings, and itching, among other things.
As a result, she recommended consumers avoid these goods for their good.
This call was made by Eimunjeze in Lagos, at a media sensitization workshop on the hazards of bleaching creams and regulatory control programs organized by NAFDAC for the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists.
In a similar incident, she urged Nigerians to avoid using some smuggled tomato pastes in the market that include prohibited ingredients because they are damaging to one’s health.
She said they “uncovered seven warehouses in Lagos where tomato paste items without NAFDAC numbers are packed and they have made an arrest and investigation is ongoing.
She explained that NAFDAC organized the event to involve the media in educating the public about the dangers of items that have not been subjected to regulatory assessment. NAFDAC cannot guarantee the contents of such items or their safety. As a result, we want Nigerians to be aware that those goods are hazardous to their health and can have long-term consequences.
Eimunjeze stated that the Federal Government has prohibited the importation of tomato pastes into the country, therefore Nigerians should be cautious as the agency is determined to protect the nation’s health.
