THE
Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) has dismissed social media
reports depicting the presence of fake paracetamol branded as panadol in
the local market. The authority’s Acting Director General, Agnes Kijo,
stated yesterday that the reports had created tension among members of
the
public in recent days.
Following the reports, the TFDA used its
surveillance system to trace the sender of the report and managed to net
him. At a press conference in Dar es Salaam, yesterday, the TFDA
presented the sender, Elia Emmanuel, to the media.
“I have received a number of calls from
people seeking confirmation from us over the circulated video on fake
panadol. The reports are not true,” Ms Kijo said. The video clip shows
the pill-like shape that swells after getting wet and turns into a piece
of towel.
“Be careful with these panadol… see how
they swell when they get into the stomach,” the sender says in Swahili
in the video clip, as he demonstrates by pouring water on the pill-like
shape thing. She clarified that the said panadol were actually a tab
towel which is shaped like a pill.
They are normally used for hand sanitation
and they enlarge when are wetted. She assured that the authority was
always keen on providing scientific evidences on quality and safety of
the drugs circulated on the market.
“We are always sure of the quality of the
imported food and drugs products,” she emphasized. Speaking to the
journalists, Emmanuel, who is a second year student at Singida Health
Laboratory Assistants School, apologised for his act, saying he posted
the information while unaware of the forthcoming impact.
He said he initially got the video clip
from one of the WhatsApp groups and translated it from English to
Kiswahili and reposted it to other social media users. “I apologize for
inconveniences caused…I admit that what I did was kind of stupidity and I
call upon my fellow youngsters to use the social media wisely,” he
appealed.
His father, Reverend Emmanuel Mhina, who
was present at the press conference advised parents to monitor their
children on the use of social media, to avert such cybercrimes. TFDA
Head of Legal Department, Mr Iskari Fute said spreading rumours was
illegal and could amount to a minimum penalty of 100,000/- and two weeks
imprisonment.
However, he said, under forensic science,
Mr Mhina, though engaged in the evil act, he is forgiven because he
assured that he did not have evil intention since he confessed and asked
for forgiveness.
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