Connect with us

Health

Tell Nigerians Fanta, Sprite With Vit C Harmful, Reps Order NBC

Published

on

The House of Representatives has directed the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), producers of Fanta and Sprite soft drinks, to indicate in their products that consumption with Vitamin C is dangerous to health.

The lawmakers also directed the National Agency for Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure that manufacturers list all chemical compositions in drinks.

They expressly ordered the NBC to as a matter of compulsion tell Nigerians that Fanta and Sprite were dangerous to health when consumed with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C).

The House said this must be done by printing warning labels on the stipulated products.

The House ad-hoc committee which investigated the production and distribution of drinks manufactured by the Nigeria Bottling Company Limited and other drinks produced or marketed in Nigeria made these recommendations.

It urged NAFDAC to compel producers/manufacturers of all soft drinks in Nigeria to indicate all chemicals, acids, colorants and preservatives contained in their products on the packs or bottles “no matter how negligible they are.”

Vanguard reports that the report of the committee chaired by the House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila were unanimously adopted by the House on Wednesday.

The committee had between October 24 and 25, 2017 conducted extensive public hearing on the matter.

Lawmakers had at the hearing interrogated the relevance of sunset yellow, a colourant they said had been proven to cause Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and consequently banned in some countries such as Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Committee also expressed worry that benzoic acid content in Nigeria was much higher than what was obtained in other climes. For instance, while it is 250milligram per kilogram in Nigeria, it is 150mg per kg in the UK.

Also at the hearing, the Consumer Protection Council, CPC stated that sunset yellow can be done away with while benzoic acid level could be reduced.

“Sunset yellow is not that relevant. Bezoic acid should be reduced. Because, they are able to separate everything. Hyperactivity in children is a problem. They have figured out the problem. We have not”, the CPC Director-General, Babatunde Irukare said.

But in her presentation at the hearing, Mrs. Simidele Onabanjo, a Deputy-Director who represented the Director-General of NAFDAC, said that preservatives were healthy.

She said: “Any certificate of analysis as being issued in the NADAC laboratory will address the physical parameter, the appearance, the colour, the taste. It will address the chemical composition, the microbial composition including the yeast, ecolag, the bacteria. It will also address contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals.

“They are actually preservatives. Ascorbic acid is a fortificant, it can be anti-oxidant and it can be preservative. Those things are added like a stablizer so that the drinks will not break down in trade. That’s the essence of their being there. The contention now is that in some countries, the standards are lower while in Nigeria, ours is a bit higher. Why the disparity.

“It has do with whatever that’s is adopted in the country. But because there still a bit of contention, they are reviewing it. We cannot unilaterally as an agency take any other country if it has not been adopted as a Nation. Standards are developed by the SON but there are other organizations that participate in setting these standards”.

Laying the report on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, Gbajabiamila said “That the House do consider the Report of the Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate the Production and Distribution of Drinks Manufactured by the Nigeria Bottling Company Limited and other Drinks Produced or Marketed in Nigeria and approve the recommendations therein”.

Other recommendations also adopted included: “That warning labels be printed on Fanta and Sprite that the products are harmful when taken with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C); that the Regulatory Agencies be adequately funded by the Government to enable them effectively monitor and ensure compliance; that expiration dates must be printed on all carbonated and non-carbonated drinks produced and marketed in Nigeria; that standard review should be carried out biannually by the Regulatory Agencies, particularly the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) partnering with NAFDAC and that the Committee on Health Services should pay critical attention to the activities of NAFDAC”.

Read Gbajabiamila’s presentation below:

Today the House of Representatives considered the report of the Adhoc Committee Investigating the Safety of Carbonated Drinks in Nigeria under my leadership.

The House came up with the following recommendations:

That warning label be printed on Fanta and Sprite that the products are harmful when taken with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) as from January 1, 2019.

That NAFDAC should compel producers/manufacturers to indicate all chemicals, acids, colorants and preservatives contained in their products on the packs or bottles no matter how negligible they are as from January 1, 2019.

That the regulating agencies be adequately funded by the government to enable them effectively monitor adulteration of all drinks produced and marketed in Nigeria.

That Expiry Date must be printed on all carbonated and non-carbonated drinks produced and marketed in Nigeria effective from January 1, 2019.

That standard review should be carried out biannually by the Regulating Agencies, particularly Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) partnering with NAFDAC.

That the House Committee on Health Services Place Special Attention to NAFDAC.

Comments

Health

Trump cleared for office, doctor orders weight loss ahead of 80th birthday

Published

on

By

United States President Donald Trump has been declared medically fit to continue in office, with his physician describing him as being in “excellent health” while recommending weight loss and increased physical activity weeks before his 80th birthday.

The White House disclosed on Friday that Trump underwent his annual medical and dental examination on Tuesday at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington, amid growing scrutiny over his health and fitness for office.

In a three-page medical memo released by the White House, Trump’s physician, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, said the president demonstrated strong overall physical and mental capacity.

“President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Barbabella stated, adding that the president was “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”

However, the physician advised Trump to adopt healthier lifestyle measures, including dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, continued weight loss and low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular prevention.

According to the report, Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, stands at 6ft 3in tall and weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), about 14 pounds more than he weighed during his last full annual medical check-up in April last year.

Despite concerns surrounding his age, the report noted that Trump’s cardiac health reflected an estimated age roughly 14 years younger than his chronological age.

The president also reportedly scored a perfect “30 out of 30” in a cognitive assessment, a result Trump has repeatedly cited in public while contrasting himself with his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

The medical report further addressed concerns over bruising frequently seen on Trump’s right hand, attributing it to “minor soft tissue irritation” caused by repeated handshaking and aspirin use.

The memo also referenced scarring on Trump’s right ear linked to the assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, when a gunman opened fire, killing a supporter and slightly wounding the president.

Trump’s latest health evaluation comes amid public concerns after he was occasionally seen appearing drowsy during White House meetings and events. He had also previously been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood circulation in the veins and can lead to swelling in the legs.

Reacting shortly after Tuesday’s examination, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the medical exercise had gone “PERFECTLY,” while the White House later shared his photograph online with the caption, “PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!”

The release of the report also sparked debate in the United States after the White House initially delayed making the medical details public, breaking with the traditional practice of releasing presidential health summaries shortly after such examinations.

Trump has long faced criticism over transparency regarding his health records, with questions also raised over the scheduling and description of his medical evaluations since returning to office.

Continue Reading

Health

Oyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts

Published

on

The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.

The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”

She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.

According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”

Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.

She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”

The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.

“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.

She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.

Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.

Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.

“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.

Continue Reading

Health

Rep Oseni Backs Ajimobi Widow’s Cancer Fight, Vows More Health Projects

Published

on

The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.

Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.

Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.

The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.

Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.

“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.

He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.

Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.

In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”

The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Entertainment

Advertisement

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Advertisement

Trending