The Director General of, the National Agency For Food Administration And Control (NAFDAC), prof Christianah Adeyeye, has expressed concern about the rising use of bleaching creams among Nigerian women.
The NAFDAC boss who made the remark at a media sensitization workshop on the dangers of bleaching creams and regulatory controls, organized for the Association of Nigerian health journalists, urged Nigerians to Stop bleaching creams, because of the dangers associated with it.
According to her, the world health organization study reveals that the use of skin bleaching creams was prevalent among seventy-seven percent of Nigerian women, thus making it a National Health Emergency.
“ The scary statistics have shown that the menace of bleaching creams in Nigeria has become a National health emergency that requires a multi-faced regulatory approach.”
Prof. Adeyeye described the workshop as a fulfillment of the promise to cascade it to the six geo-political zones in the country as a deliberate strategy of mobilizing, educating, and challenging Nigerian health journalists to play the frontline role to eradicate the menace of bleaching creams.
She maintained that the harmful effects include cancer, damage to vital organs, skin irritation, and rashes.
The Zonal Director, southwest, NAFDAC, Mrs. Roseline AJAYI while welcoming journalists, said the theme of the workshop is The Dangers of bleaching creams and regulatory controls.
She said cosmetics are one of the products NAFDAC regulates, thus it is important to control the abuse of the products.
The Director of public affairs, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, said journalists are change agents and the program is to train the trainers.
Delivering a presentation on an overview of skin bleaching: The NAFDAC perspective, The Deputy Director NAFDAC, Mrs. Anto Ebenezer
Said out of five people on the street, one person is bleaching, which calls for serious concern because of the harmful consequences.
She said mothers now use bleaching creams for children, without considering the dangers.
She said people bleach for societal, and economic privileges, low self-esteem, peer pressure, and acceptability.
Measures taken to reduce is included legislative actions, stakeholder engagement, and grassroots sensitization.
The Director of Chemical evaluation and research, Dr. Leonard Omopariola who spoke on the safe handling of chemicals and ingredients in the cosmetics industry, said the health concerns include endometriosis, reduced fertility in males, and early puberty in girls.
He maintained that some of the side effects are not reversible, thus the need to stop it.
NAFDAC has the responsibility of ensuring that cosmetics are safe, effective, and of good quality.