ZIMBABWE is on high alert after reports that a South African Purity baby product has been found to contain traces of toxic asbestos.
Health and Child Care ministry secretary Jasper Chimedza warned members of the public to be on the lookout for the product.
In a statement on October 7, Chimedza said the Purity Essential Baby Powder from Tiger Brands of South Africa contained unacceptable levels of asbestos which cause a rare cancer called mesothelioma.
“Tiger Brands of South Africa is recalling Purity Essential Baby Powder from shops. The product contains unacceptable levels of asbestos which cause a rare cancer called mesothelioma. The traces were recently detected in test samples prompting the recall of the product. The following packages are recalled: Purity Essentials Baby Powder/Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Essentials Baby Powder (100g) Code 6009523601859, Purity Essentials Baby Powder(200g) Code 6009523601866, Purity Essentials Baby Powder(400g) Code 6009523601828 and Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Fresh Baby Powder(400g) Code 6009523604515,” the statement from Tiger Brands read.
Chimedza warned that given that there are a significant number of products in Zimbabwe’s supermarkets that are sourced from South Africa, there was a high possibility that some batches of the baby powder in question could already be in Zimbabwe.
“These products should be removed from the shelves or intercepted at points of entry,” Chimedza said.
After extensive de-industrialisation in the aftermaths of a protracted economic crisis, Zimbabwe has increasingly relied on imports from South Africa to cater for its growing population.
Tiger Brands’ products has a huge presence on the domestic market.
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