NAFDAC Official Warns On Starchy Food Consumption

Mrs Comfort Makanjuola, the Deputy Director, Ports Inspection Directorate, National Food and Drug Administration Control, NAFDAC, has advised Nigerians to reduce consumption of carbohydrates to curb the occurrence of diabetes.

Makanjuola, who led a six-man NAFDAC surveillance team on patent medicine stores to Kebbi State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday that research had revealed that diabetic cases were mostly caused by carbohydrate diets.

She advised Nigerians to reduce excessive consumption of carbohydrates and opt for balanced diets, promising that NAFDAC would work with relevant agencies to embark on public awareness campaign on how to avoid diabetes.

Makanjuola said many cases of hypertension were caused by stress. She noted that “when people engage in stressful activities for survival, they become hypertensive,” saying;  “Regular exercise will help reduce hypertension”.

She said the team was in the state to identify counterfeit drugs sold to the public in patent medicine stores, stressing that the surveillance would cover 18 counterfeit drugs that had already been identified.

“The drugs were identified through the use of the newly acquired Truscan computerised devise that can instantly detect fake drugs. Many of such drugs have been confiscated,” she said.