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By Richard Kawazi
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has recalled a baby powder manufactured by South Africa’s Tiger Brands from local shops with immediate effect, citing health risks associated with it.
The Ministry gave the directive for the removal of the product from shops shelves Monday. It has also reportedly started intercepting the products at all the country’s entry points.
This development comes following reports that the products contain excessive amounts of poisonous substances.
A document written by Secretary of Health, Air Commodore (Dr) Jasper Chimedza addressed to Provincial Medical Directors and Chief Environmental Health Officers in Zimbabwe reads:
“Given that a significant number of products in our supermarkets are sourced from South Africa, there is a possibility that some batches of the baby powder in question are already in Zimbabwe.”
“The products contain unacceptable levels of asbestos which causes rare cancer called mesothelioma.”
According to Tiger Brands the batch of raw material with the detected trace levels of asbestos does not meet the company’s strict quality and safety standards.
The traces are reported to have been recently detected in test samples prompting the recall of the product.
Purity Essentials Baby Powder/Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Essentials Baby Powder 100g, 200g, and 400g with barcodes 6009523601859, 6009523601866, and 6009523601828 are the packages which are being recalled.
The 400g Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Fresh Baby Powder with a barcode of 6009523604515 is also part of the products stopped from disbursement. Nhau/Indaba
