The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has warned consumers in Borno State to avoid unregistered hand sanitizers which might contain substances that could be harmful and toxic.
Mr Nasiru Mato, the NAFDAC’s state Coordinator, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), on Saturday in Maiduguri.
He disclosed that some of the unregistered hand sanitizers might contain a substance called methanol that could be toxic if absorbed through the skin or ingested.
Mato explained that substantial methanol exposure could lead to headaches, permanent blindness, vomiting, seizures and nausea.
He said: “Consumers of regulated products in Borno have once again been urged to always look out and patronize only hand sanitizers registered by NAFDAC for their safety.
“Any regulated product which does not have NAFDAC registration number, expiry date, name and full location address of manufacturer, manufacture date, and Batch number, is deemed unsafe for use as the safety and efficacy of such product can’t be guaranteed.”
Mato said that NAFDAC had registered quite a number of hand sanitizers in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the need of the current reality.
He called on all intending manufacturers of regulated products to go to NAFDAC offices to get the necessary guidelines for registration of their products.
Mato, however, warned that serious sanctions would be meted out to any manufacturer who flouted NAFDAC Laws.
