Patronise only registered sachet, bottled water – FDA

Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has advised the public to patronise only registered sachet and bottled water manufactured in Ghana and bear the FDA product registration numbers.

This comes against the backdrop of claims that certain sachet water sold in on the market contained microbes or unwholesome.

The FDA’s said it was responsibility to protect consumers, as mandated by the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

Last month, the Director of Field Operations with the Ghana Statistical Service, Dr. Peter TakyiPeprah, made the assertion at a press conference to announce the results of an investigation into the caliber of market-available sachet water. 

According to him 34.1 percent of household drinking water sources were contaminated with faeces.

“We must pay close attention to those involved in the production of sachet water, in 2017 we conducted a multiple indicator cluster survey in which we not only collected information about drinking water sources but also tested the quality of these drinking water sources for a household,” he explained.

However, in a statement issued by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FDA, MrsDelese Mimi Darko  on Monday, stated that packaged water (bottled and sachet)manufacturing premises and registration of products was well licensed .

Again it read that, all inspections were done in accordance with the current Codes of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and production processes including Filtration or Reverse Osmosis which removed extraneous material, and UV Sterilisation which destroyed harmful pathogens which might have been present.

“As part of the registration process by the FDA, the laboratory conducts tests to establish the presence or otherwise of microorganisms which is a critical parameter for drinking water safety,” it said.

The Authority further assured the public that, it conducted periodic market surveillance and product quality analyses of products in circulation on the market but trend analysis from the FDA laboratory has not shown the observation described in the media.

However for the safety of Ghanaians, the statement warned the general public to report any unregistered sachet and bottled water at the nearest FDA office.

BY ANITA ANKRAH

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