ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, is implementing aseries of inspection procedures to control illegal drugs, substandard foods, and unsafe products, the City Food and Drug Authority announced.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Authority’s Deputy Manager, Enga Erketa stated that the organization is implementing a series of measures, including increased surveillance, and stricter inspections to control illegal drug and unsafe product trafficking, reduce risks and create a healthy environment.
He added that the authority is working with Ethiopian Airlines to combat illegal drug trafficking, including tobacco products and other harmful substances through conducting risk-based inspections at checkpoints, where items exit or enter the nation.
Moreover, inspections are also being carried out at five key entry routes of Ethiopia to prevent the entry of illicit drugs, he indicated.
The authority’s surveillance group is gathering detailed data on illegal activities to improve overall safety. Enga stated that inspections are also being conducted in 11 sub-cities and 36 clusters targeting institutions such as hotels, health facilities, pharmacies, and food producers.
Such institutions must undergo pre-inspection, follow-up inspection, and laboratory tests by accredited experts before receiving licenses, according to the Deputy Manager.
Monitoring takes place biannually, with additional risk-based inspections conducted as needed to avert the danger such products pose on public health, he said.
“We are working hand in hand with stakeholders in evaluating each quarter as per the agreement,” Enga noted.
The authority aims to ensure that all food and medicine distributed and consumed in Addis Ababa meet the required safety standards to maintain the health of residents, he noted.
“Efforts are underway to raise public awareness about the consequences of illegal drugs and to create a safer environment for consumers,” he said.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2025
