The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says it has embarked on a nationwide product-quality monitoring exercise in selected facilities and markets to ascertain the compliance (thickness) of face masks.
The exercise commenced from 28th June 2021 and ended on August 9.
According to the FDA, the objective of the monitoring exercise by the Authority was to check the conformance of the face masks sold on the market with the FDA’s In-House Specification (LSD/MED/GL-02) for testing face masks.
In a statement sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, it said "Out of a total of one hundred and eighty (180) face masks samples obtained from the exercise, one hundred and fifty-five (155) samples passed the standards specification test, constituting 86.1% of the total samples, and twenty-five (25) failed the test, constituting 13.9%, as per the Authority’s specifications"
It further revealed that fourteen (14) brands had been registered and approved by the FDA at the time of the exercise while one hundred and sixty-two (162) brands were unregistered with the Authority.
Products that did not conform to the Authority’s specifications at the end of the exercise were detained awaiting safe disposal.
Importers of failed samples have been directed to initiate a recall of the failed samples and furnish the Authority with the necessary documentation.
Importers of unregistered brands have been directed by the Authority to bring their activities into regulatory compliance.
The general public is advised to report any suspicious FDA-regulated product.
Importers and manufacturers are warned to desist from importing and producing products which are non-compliant with the approved standards.
Below is a copy of the release:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
Comments