“We have a full alert at the port of entry to make sure that those products will not come in. We’ve intensified post-market surveillance throughout the Easter period, we will be going around to check if any has been brought in at all. We will make sure that we collect them all, in what we call a full recall. We will go round all the supermarkets to make sure that there is none,” Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Delese Mimi Darko, told Citi News.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JpEoUyri5Q0kCPLe5bw774do0mtGLzDf”]In the last few weeks since Rwanda’s caution on food imports from South Africa, the FDA has warned Ghanaians against purchasing possibly listeriosis infected processed meat products by Enterprise Foods.

The Authority also announced that it would destroy the meat products from Enterprise Foods in Polokwane, South Africa.

The outbreak of listeriosis has been going on since the start of 2017. According to the World Health Organisation, 978 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases have been reported in South Africa between January 1, 2017, and March 14, 2018. 42% of the cases have been neonates who were infected during pregnancy or delivery.

In January, Rwanda warned Ghana to ban the importation of some food products from South Africa to avert the outbreak of listeriosis. Before the warning, Rwanda had already placed a ban on some food products from South Africa.

After the warning, the Ghana’s Ministry of Health assured Ghanaians that it had beefed up surveillance in the country to forestall the outbreak and spread of the disease.

About Listeriosis

Listeriosis is food poisoning that is caused by eating foods contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium. In pregnant women, the infection can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, serious infection of the newborn or even stillbirth.

It mainly affects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and adults with impaired immune systems.

According to the WHO, the outbreak in South Africa is the largest that has been detected worldwide. Due to the potentially long incubation period (one to three weeks and up to 70 days), further cases are expected before the impact of the recall of the affected food products is observed.

–

By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post FDA intensifies surveillance to stop sale of Listeriosis meat products appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the situation where very young children have messages on alcoholic products deeply printed on their minds is worrying.

Mr. Lartey said the FDA’s recent directive to have adverts on such beverages on the airwaves done only after 8:00pm, was basically to protect children.

He however said some media houses are not cooperating with the FDA in that regard.

He expressed these concerns at Cape Coast on Friday, during an interactive engagement with media houses in the Central Region.

“I remember I was on TV talking on this subject when a lady called into the show, and according to the lady, she has a three-year-old girl, and this girl can wake up in the morning and cry she wants a particular alcoholic beverage because of the advert. We know the effects of advertisements; if at the age of three a product is suggested to the mind of a child, when the child grows up, at a particular age, this child would like to explore what’s in that product, and that’s where it starts”.

He further made reference to another six-year-old boy who asked the father to buy him that same alcoholic beverage because he has seen it advertised on TV.

The Head of Cosmetics and Household Chemical Substances at the FDA, Emmanuel Nkrumah, also warned against the use of bleaching creams, tablets and pills, as well as injections for skin lightening, saying this increasing practice exposes people to all kinds of diseases.

Mr. Nkrumah further warned against the use of cement for bleaching the skin, saying, “Cement is used for building; it is not something meant for the skin. What we should also know is that no cosmetic product can come in the form of an injectable. Anything that goes intravenous or intra-muscular ceases to be cosmetic”.

–

By: Joseph Ackon Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kids under 10 craving alcoholic beverages due to adverts – FDA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The FDA had earlier stated that it would strictly enforce the regulations that prevent manufacturers of alcoholic products from advertising their products on radio and television during the day.

However, in an interview with Citi News, the President of GIBA, Andrew Danso-Aninkora said the Association will negotiate with the FDA for a possible revision of the 14-hour daily ban.

[contextly_sidebar id=”T2yuL81rAAS02EE2nTfsXwTUnjLxkJoh”]He lamented that the ban will not only affect the revenue of broadcasters but potentially distort the programming of media houses.

He explained that, “the point is, it is not just about revenue. It is very much about our entire operations. It affects your programming and if a person who is advertising on a particular product, it will have to change. For instance, if you have targeted [ads on] a particular programme which may not take alcohol and after that, you will have to [move ads] to one which probably takes alcohol and after that, then you have to swap places so it affects the way you go about your programming.”

This would also mean some programming blocs may be loaded with more adverts than usual, Mr. Danso-Aninkora noted, adding that the situation “has to be managed somehow. If it means extending the time, we have to look at it that way.”

‘More engagement needed’

The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana is also hoping for a review of the ban.

Whilst lauding the attempt to regulate the space because of the patronage by underage persons, the General Secretary of the association, Samuel Aggrey, noted that there had not been enough engagement with stakeholders.

“It’s about time the FDA should have come up with such enforcement. On the other side, when it comes to the business aspect, there has not been enough engagement… when it comes to business aspect, it depends on us to put up responsible advertisements, not anything anyhow.”

“It’s good that we do engagements and ensure compliance and the way they [FDA] want the adverts to be run. They shoud tell us so it can be done that way instead of putting a total ban and enforcing the 8 pm assertion,” Mr. Aggrey said.

’15 years in jail’

The FDA’s current guidelines for the Advertisements on Foods (Section 3.2.6) and specifically the requirements for advertisements of alcoholic beverages, states that: “Radio and Television advertisements shall not be aired between the hours of 0600 am and 2000.”

However, lax enforcement of this regulation has seen alcoholic beverages advertised at all times of the day.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the FDA, James Lartey, persons who are found to be flouting the directive could face prison terms of up to 15 years as well as a fine of about 7, 500 cedis.

He stated that the move had become necessary because of the rise in the number alcohol ads during the day enticing minors to try these beverages, and ultimately affecting their health.

“Currently we have looked at the level of alcohol consumption in the media, it is very bad. And I think the earlier, we bring some stringent measures the better. So we feel that this is an attempt to actually enforce that aspect of the regulation,” he said.

–

By: Farida Shaibu & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GIBA, Beverages Association want alcohol ads ban reviewed appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Deputy Chief Executive of the FDA in charge of the Food Inspectorate Division, Isabella Mansa Agra, said that her outfit will meet with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, and the representatives of the traders in the next few weeks, to find solutions to the sanitation problems in the capital city’s markets.

Her call comes on the back of agitations from some of the traders who bemoaned the absence of proper sanitation facilities at the markets, despite the fact that they are forced to pay hundreds of cedis in market fees each year.

One trader, who spoke to Citi News, lamented that “the authorities don’t address our concerns, we have to deal with them ourselves. However, when it comes to the market tolls, they have no trouble asking us to pay.”

Speaking at a clean-up exercise at the Agbogbloshie Market, as part FDA’s Food Safety Sensitisation programme, Mrs. Agra acknowledged the concerns of the traders, and stated that, the health and safety regulator would liaise with the Metropolitan Assembly to address them.

“These are issues we have to discuss with the Assembly and the Environmental office. We have agreed that we’ll have a roundtable discussion with the market queens, and we will forge a strategy to see how to resolve these things,” she told Citi News.

“We understand that the facilities they have are not being maintained properly. We want to keep the sanitation issues as a priority. That is the problem that we have identified; that most of the problems the market women face have to do with the sanitation facilities, that’s what’s causing the agitation. It’s a matter of concern for us at the FDA and we’ll seek to resolve it.”

Mrs. Agra admitted that solving the problems at the markets would require significant financial commitment, but added that, the recent cleanup exercise proved that, sanitation in the markets was a top priority for the FDA.

“Building and maintaining facilities takes a lot of money, so we need to first of all look at what it would take, and we would have to do an assessment. Within the next week or two, we’ll have a discussion so that we can start the process, that’s the most important thing now. We are using this day as an indication that we want to tackle the sanitation issues in our markets,” she stated.

–

By: Ann-Shirley Ziwu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post FDA pushes for clean markets after protests by traders appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The unregistered consignment labeled ‘Asahi’ was imported into the country by Dotsico Ventures.

[contextly_sidebar id=”AEx7Q3sFHqGaCOE7FTqWAdfyaqqikxmy”]The exercise was supervised by the police and officials of the FDA at the Achimota Mile Seven Police Station on Wednesday.

The items were later transported to Kpone in Tema where it would be burnt.

Speaking to the Media, the Head of Communications from the FDA, Kames Lartey, said the products were cleared from the port on September 30, and were set to expire in February 2018, according to their labeling.

“We discovered that ‘So Nice mackerel’ and Asahi mackerel were shipped into the country by Dotsisco Ventures, but the documentation covering them indicated that they were on transit to Togo,” he said.

As the consignment was not destined for the Ghanaian market, the authorities at the Tema Port were not required to check the contents of the containers.

‘So Nice’ mackerel alert

The FDA also warned the public against the patronage and consumption of a brand of canned fish named ‘So Nice’ mackerel.

This particular brand slipped through the fingers of the FDA, as three of 20-foot containers of the imported products have been transported to Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.

But post-market surveillance by the FDA has already led to the detention of 500 cartons of the ‘So Nice’ mackerel.

The Authority maintains that, it cannot vouch for the wholesomeness of the product because it did not pass through approved safety and health checks at the Tema Port before it was cleared on October 2, 2017.

According to Mr. Lartey, the owner of the product, Kofi Dotsi, claimed that it was also not meant for the Ghanaian market and that it was on transit to Togo.

However, he said, immediately the owner cleared the product, he allegedly diverted it for distribution on the local market.

–

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana with files from Daily Graphic

The post FDA destroys 4,500 cartons of expired mackerel appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The SWS was also to complement the already existing system for reporting adverse events using the paper Adverse Reaction Form.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6e1HHFFGnF2KOU6oeTeaK6rPdF4cT4P0″]The introduction was made during a regional workshop for pharmaco-vigilance Officers in Tamale, which was supported by Access and Delivery Partnership Programme and the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO).

The event was to provide refresher training for health workers and also inform them on some of the new initiatives of the FDA to improve patient safety and how to use the SMS.

Mr George Sabblah, the Head of the Safety Monitoring Department at the Food and Drugs Authority, said the SWS would help to reduce side effect of adverse drug reactions on patients and help regulate other medicinal products used in the country.

He said the SWS system could also be used by patients and the pharmaceutical industry to report safety issues on the side effects of drugs and vaccines.

Mr Sabblah said patients who had difficulty in accessing the SWS can report safety issues through designated community pharmaceutical centres to the FDA.

He said the training had already taken place in six regions and that about 700 health workers are targeted to be trained nationwide on how to use the system.

Mr Sabblah said health workers and patients can report to the FDA through the Safety Watch System at http://adr.fdaghana.gov.gh/ or www.fdaghana.gov.gh

–

Source: GNA

The post FDA introduces online reporting system appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The company in a statement copied to citifmonline.com said all of its products are subjected to series of quality control checks before distributed unto the market.

It said their products have been duly certified by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), after passing the various tests for quality rice.

A video that has gone viral on social media suggests that Cindy rice is made of artificially manufactured grains or plastic, but according to the company the allegations are false.

“It has come to the notice of the company of the circulation of certain videos and communication via social media purporting to show that Cindy rice is artificially manufactured grains of plastic or rubber.”

“Royal Bow is a company that prides itself in offering proper nutrition from its products and has subjected the full range of its products to scrutiny and tests by the Food and Drugs Authority and the Ghana Standards Board. Products from Royal Bow have passed all these tests and are fully certified by all relevant regulatory bodies.”

The Company explained that, the rice “is milled, processed, packaged and shipped with strict adherence to quality and protocol that ensures that every batch is inspected and approved.”

‘Ignore reports of ‘plastic rice’ on market – FDA’

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), in reaction to a similar video recently said the rumours described as untruth, reports of the influx of some fake rice purported to be ‘plastic rice’ on the Ghanaian market.

The Public Relations Officer of the FDA, James Lartey, indicated that the authority’s investigations across the country have shown no trace of such ‘plastic rice’ on the market.

He however suggested the possibility of the allegations emanating from the competitors in the rice retail market, but urged the public to report to the FDA if they indeed come across it.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Cindy Rice has no plastic grains – Distributors appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to Mr Jake Amoaku-Mensah, a Senior Regulatory Officer at the FDA, food establishment formed an integral part of supply chain  and were conduit for the spread of food borne diseases.

Mr Amoaku-Mensah said the standard would give consumers the opportunity to make informed choices whenever selecting food joints in the country as well as foster healthy competition.

He was speaking at the Food Safety Awareness Workshop as part of the World Food Day Celebration on the theme: “Climate  is changing , Food and Agriculture must too, so must attitude towards Food security.”

The standards would be graded from A,B and C and would require establishments to maintain floors, ceilings, drainage systems. Currently, the FDA issues Food Hygiene Permits to food operators.

Additionally, the Senior Regulatory Officer said business establishments would have to ensure that there was no cross contamination and promote effective and proper documentation of cleaning services.

According him, the new grading systems would compel all food handlers to undergo food safety training and that would be taken to the latter.

“All employees must take food handlers Test and a compulsory hand washing Training,” he added.

He explained that under the new guidelines, proper waste disposal and designated areas for storing raw materials were properly fumigated by personnel of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr Benjamin Osei Tutu, Head of Foodborne Disease Surveillance Unit, FDA  said the Authority and the Ghana Health Service would provide formed at various hospitals to monitor activities of foodborne diseases or food poisoning reported at these health facilities.

The exercise, according to Mr Tutu, which was piloted at the Adenta Municipality would soon be replicated nationwide.

Citing a survey conducted on food borne diseases in the Municipality in February 2015 and December 2015, he said 163 cases of foodborne case were reported.

According to him, persons between the ages of 25 and 34 recorded the highest victims and 53 per cent emanated from consumption of home meals and few restaurants and other food joints.

He explained that food borne diseases, which occur within 72 hours brought symptoms such as abdominal pains, vomiting, nausea and increased body temperature.

Mr Tutu said there were about 250 food-borne diseases and with new pathogen coming up every day .

He reminded the public of the law to disallow people with certain ailments from operating food joints.

He said the FDA was doing all it could within its mandate to help prevent the outbreak of food-borne diseases and assured the public  that the authority would build a credible database for strategic public health interventions.

–

Source: GNA

The post New grading system to ensure compliance on hygiene – FDA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) earlier this year arrested some market women for allegedly mixing the product with textile dye, popularly called Sudan 4.

It however announced in July this year, that majority of palm oil in the markets it had tested was safe for consumption.

But the producers at Subi, a farming community known for palm oil production say their business is yet to recover.

One of them is 50-years old Grace Animah, who has been in the palm oil business for the past 15 years. She said the once lucrative business is almost dead now.

“The middle men are the ones who give us the selling price. It didn’t use to be so, but now even if you give them your own price, they won’t buy from you”, she told Citi News.

She added that “people come to buy from here to Accra and even outside the country. But they do not buy like they used to because of the news”.

According to her, the palm oil business took a nosedive when news of adulterated oil on some markets broke.

“To be honest with you, we don’t know where they even sell the dye. It is those who buy from us, who adulterate it. I was also surprised to hear that we put millipedes in the oil to enrich its colour. In fact, I get angry when they don’t treat the palm fruits hygienically. I eat some of what I produce, so why will I put millipedes in them?”

Despite the current challenges, Grace Animah remains hopeful business will pick up soon.

–

By: Eugenia Tenkorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Oil palm traders suffering from adulterated palm oil alerts appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The women, who all live in Italy, described the “devastating suffering” caused by the church’s ban on priests having sex and marrying.

“We love these men and they love us,” they said in their letter published on the authoritative website Vatican Insider.

“With humility, we place at your feet our suffering so that something can change, not just for us but for the good of the whole Church,” they added in the message, signed with their first names and an initial of their last names, but with several phone numbers.

Priestly celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church, while not a unchangeable dogma, is a tradition going back more than 1,000 years.

In recent decades the Vatican has come under pressure to make celibacy optional and allow priests to marry, with supporters saying that this would help ease the acute shortage of priests in many areas.

The women asked the pope to “bless our love,” adding that few people could understand the “devastating suffering lived by a woman who has a strong love for a priest”.

The Church teaches that a priest should dedicate himself totally to his vocation, essentially taking the Church as his spouse, in order to help fulfil its mission.

But the women told the pope that their men would be able to serve the Church “with greater passion” if they were supported by a woman who loves them and children.

This was far better for the priests and the Church, they argued in the letter sent to the Vatican, than “a life of continued clandestineness, with the frustration of a love that is not complete”.

The women asked to meet the pope to explain the plight “tearing apart our souls” because the couples were faced with the alternatives of either the men leaving the priesthood or carrying on the relationships in secret.

Proponents of optional celibacy in the Church have linked the sexual abuse of children by priests to its celibacy rule, saying that it could stem from sexual frustrations.

But the Church has rejected this argument, saying that paedophilia, whether in the Church or outside of it, is carried out by people with psychological problems.

Priests are allowed to marry in the Anglican and other Protestant churches as well as in the Orthodox Church.

Source: Reuters.com

The post Make celibacy optional – Women in love with Priests appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.