JOINT PRESS RELEASE BY THE FDA, GRA CUSTOMS DIVISION AND GSA

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division, and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) have noted with great concern an emerging practice where disposable baby diapers are imported into the country, either unhygienically packaged in bales or hidden in bales of used clothing. These are subsequently repackaged and offered for sale without adequate label information or no labelling information at all. This practice does not conform to the regulatory requirements and the packaging and labelling requirements of the Ghana Standard (GS 1166:2017) for disposable baby diapers.

The safety of the materials used for baby diapers is checked during the FDA product registration processes. As such, the FDA cannot guarantee the levels of any toxins, dyes or skin irritants that may be present in unregistered baby diapers. In addition, the frequent handling of diapers, usually under insanitary conditions, can cause germs to enter the genital region which poses a great danger to the health and well-being of babies and children, especially the girl child.

The FDA, GRA Customs Division and the GSA wish to inform manufacturers, importers, and distributors of baby diapers that only diapers that have been duly registered by the FDA and that meet the Ghana Standard (GS 1166:2017) can be imported and offered for sale. Furthermore, all registered diapers imported into the country must be well-packaged and properly sealed to protect the product from moisture, soiling, contamination and damage during transportation, storage and

distribution throughout the product's shelf-life.

The importation of unregistered and unhygienically packaged baby diapers into the country will result in their seizure and safe disposal at a cost to the importer.

The FDA, GRA and GSA also wish to urge the public to buy only registered baby diapers properly packaged and labelled and are listed on the FDA website to help protect babies from the risk of infections.