NAFDAC Enlightens Nigerians On The Dangers Of Consuming Non-Iodine Salt
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued out a warning to Nigerians about consuming non-iodized salt. Dr Abubakar Jimoh, the Director of Public Affairs of the agency says it has grave consequences to human health.
The director spoke while responding to the rumour that people in the rural communities were still consuming the local salt, which was not processed.
He said that the consumption of such local salt could lead to goiter and other dangerous diseases to human health and called on Nigerians to do away with the product and consume only iodized salt.
READ ALSO: Neurologist Advises On How Homemade Food & Minimal Salt Intake Can Prevent Kidney Diseases
According to the director, there are four areas in Nigeria where traditional salt, otherwise known as non-iodine salt is still being traded, particularly in Nasarawa state.
“NAFDAC is making effort to stop the trading of this salt in these states but some of them have refused.
With the creation of NAFDAC in 1993, that was the first time and there was still major work to be done on salt consumption.We have organised sensitisation workshop on universal salt iodinsation.
We have been educating Nigerians that we should not be consuming this local salt because it is not iodine.
We began a programme in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Funds (UNICEF), Micro Nutrient Initiative, Global Alliance and other development partners on the issue.
We flag-off a campaign against that and it was held in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, in 2004 under late Professor Dora Akunyili as the Director General of the agency.
According to Jimoh, based on the work NAFDAC did then, Nigeria was declared universal salt iodinsation compliance in Turkey and also won numerous awards in that regards.
“Nasarawa is one of the identified four major endemic areas, they have insisted that it is their traditional source of making livelihood, it is commerce for them.
They have told NAFDAC as at that time that if they must leave the trade, what they will be trading on must be provided for them,”
the director disclosed.
He, however, called on those who are still trading and consuming non iodine salt in Nasarawa to desist, adding that insisting to remain ignorant was capable bringing setback to the country.