By NEWSCOUNT Desk
The Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Weekenders Magazine, Princess Joy Omagha Idam, has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to urgently verify claims that some sanitary pads may contain harmful chemicals.
Idam made the call in a statement in which she urged the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, to launch an investigation into the claims and provide Nigerians with clear scientific information on the safety of sanitary pads available in the Nigerian market.
She said the matter should not be dismissed as mere speculation because millions of women and girls use sanitary pads regularly, making the safety of the products a matter of public health concern.
Idam specifically called for independent laboratory tests to be conducted on sanitary pads sold in Nigeria to determine whether they contain chemicals or other substances capable of posing health risks to users.
“This is not about creating fear or attacking manufacturers. It is about protecting Nigerian women and girls and giving the public accurate information. NAFDAC must verify these claims and tell Nigerians the truth,” she said.
She said the responsibility for providing authoritative answers rested with NAFDAC as the agency mandated to regulate and ensure the safety of products used and consumed by Nigerians.
Idam further urged the regulatory agency to make the outcome of its investigation public, saying Nigerians should have access to factual information on the composition and safety of sanitary products available to them.
She also called for appropriate regulatory action against any product found through scientific testing to have fallen below the required safety standards.
According to her, the call for investigation should not be interpreted as an attack on manufacturers or importers of sanitary products, but as a demand for transparency and consumer protection.
She therefore urged manufacturers and importers to cooperate fully with any investigation undertaken by NAFDAC, stressing that the health and safety of consumers should remain a priority over commercial interests.
Idam said women and families deserved confidence in the sanitary products they use regularly, adding that NAFDAC’s findings should be made public so that the issue could be settled on the basis of scientific evidence rather than speculation.
