Ndugulile calls for control of drug contamination in livestock products

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Health deputy minister Dr Faustine Ndugulile wants authorities controlling drugs to speed up investigations into livestock products to protect consumers against drug contamination.

Dar es Salaam.The deputy minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, the Elderly and Children, Dr Faustine Ndugulile,has directed authorities controlling drugs to speed up investigation into drug contamination of livestock products.

Dr Ndugulil issued the directive after learning that some livestock keepers and businesspersons were not observing the regulations.

Speaking on December 3, 2018 when opening Africa’s regional training seminar on drug contaminations in livestock products, Dr Ndugulile said more efforts are still needed to do away with the problem.

"When an animal is given drugs and the following day is slaughtered for consumption, the drugs will shift from the animal to consumers, which may trigger various health problems,” he said.

The Deputy Minister has also directed the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) to enhance the ability of its laboratory to test all products entering the market including imported ones.

He said the current strategy is to protect consumers by ensuring that uses of drugs are controlled including banning arbitrary sales of livestock drugs.

For his part, TFDA director general Adam Mitangu Fimbosays the problem is increasingly causing health problems to the consumers of livestock products.

The seminar involved 22 African countries with the aim of exchanging experiences about the control of drugs.