Nafdac bans the open sale of Sniper and all other Dichlorvos products with effect from Sep 1

NIGERIA'S National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) has announced a ban on the open sale of the pesticide Sniper and related products manufactured by Dichlorvos in response to their recent use to commit suicide.

 

Of late, Sniper, an agricultural product introduced to combat pests, has been widely used to commit suicide, particularly among youths and students. In response to the growing misuse of the products, Nafdac director-general Professor Moji Adeyeye, said that as from September 1, 2019, Sniper and other related products would not be sold in supermarkets and in the open markets.

 

Professor Adeyeye added: "Nafdac is giving a two-month, up to August 31, 2019, notice to brand owners/distributors to recall and withdraw their products from open markets and supermarkets that do not have garden corner/shelves to the agro dealer outlets. The sale of Sniper insecticide and other Dichlorvos brands in open markets and supermarkets nationwide is prohibited with effect from September 1, 2019.

 

"Nafdac is giving a six-month moratorium up to January 1, 2020 for brand owners to exhaust the products that are in various accredited agro-input dealers (distributors/marketers/retailers) outlets. Nafdac has ordered the mandatory listing of dealers, distributors, marketers and retailers of agrochemicals and all Nafdac formations are expected to collect the list to ensure continual monitoring of all agro dealers in their states."

 

According to Professor Adeyeye,  CropLife Nigeria, in collaboration with Nafdac, had agreed to provide antidotes against Dichlorvos poisoning in tertiary and secondary medical centres across Nigeria, as well as the reformulation of all Dichlorvos products to include bitter agents and vomiting induced agents. She added that the agency has banned the importation and manufacture of 100ml pack size of all Dichlorvos products with immediate effect while the hawking of all agrochemical formulations was also prohibited.

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