The Bono Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has seized more than 57,000 pieces of unregistered baby diapers in a three-day enforcement operation across major markets in the Sunyani, Berekum and Dormaa Municipalities.
The exercise, conducted from Tuesday to Thursday, saw a 10-member FDA enforcement team, with support from the Ghana Police Service, sweep through commercial hubs in the three municipalities. The unregistered diapers, packed in bales, were confiscated from five shops.
A Public Health Safety Exercise
Charles Opoku Gyamfi, a Regulatory Officer at the Bono Regional Office of the FDA, described the operation as part of an ongoing enforcement drive to rid the market of unregistered, expired, fake and unwholesome cosmetic products and other consumables.
“The exercise is a market surveillance and a public health safety exercise to ensure that uncertified products are not sold in the local Ghanaian markets,” Mr Gyamfi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of the exercise in Berekum.
He said the Authority had intensified public sensitisation alongside the enforcement action to ensure that dealers and traders registered their products, and properly packaged and stored them under good and hygienic conditions.
FDA Cannot Guarantee Safety
Madam Akua Amponsaa Owusu, the Bono Regional Head of the FDA, said unregistered products sold in the markets posed a grave threat to public health safety.
“The FDA can’t guarantee the safety and health of unregistered diapers,” she stated, expressing concern about the influx of unregistered baby diapers and related products in the country.
Madam Owusu noted that because of their affordability and cheaper prices, the public often preferred and patronised unregistered baby diapers, warning that those who bought such products did so at their own risk.
She advised the public to always check FDA registration numbers and label information before buying baby diapers and packaged products. She also called on retailers and shop owners in possession of unregistered baby diapers and unwholesome products to surrender them to the Authority, warning that culprits would be prosecuted accordingly.
A Nationwide Crackdown
The Bono Region operation is the latest phase of a sweeping nationwide enforcement campaign by the FDA and the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) targeting baby diapers that fail to meet Ghana’s regulatory standards. More than four million pieces of fake, unregistered and non-compliant baby diapers have been confiscated across the country since the joint market surveillance exercise began on 2 September 2026 in the Western Region. The operation has since moved through commercial centres in Takoradi and Tarkwa, and is expected to extend to other regions before the end of the year.
Earlier operations this year have included the seizure of over 5,000 packs of unapproved diapers in the Tamale Metropolis in April, the interception of 151 bales of unregistered baby diapers at Tema Port in February, and the destruction of approximately 55,000 units of substandard second-hand diapers. The Eastern Regional FDA also conducted a similar operation in Koforidua, Asamankese and Nsawam in December 2025.
Legal Framework and Health Risks
Baby and adult diapers are classified as medical devices under Ghana’s regulatory framework and are required to be registered by the FDA before being sold to the public. Section 118 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) states that “a person shall not manufacture, prepare, import, export, distribute, sell, supply or exhibit for sale a drug, herbal medicinal product, cosmetic, medical device or household chemical substance unless the article has been registered by the Authority.”
In a joint press release with the GRA Customs Division and the Ghana Standards Authority, the FDA warned that it “cannot guarantee the levels of any toxins, dyes or skin irritants that may be present in unregistered baby diapers.” It added that the frequent handling of diapers, usually under insanitary conditions, can cause germs to enter the genital region, posing a great danger to the health and well-being of babies and children, especially the girl child.
The FDA has also raised alarm over the growing presence of baled diapers on the market, noting that poor handling may expose the products to moisture, dust and pests during storage, creating conditions that support the growth of bacteria and fungi. Unlike registered products, which are subject to strict quality and hygiene standards, baled diapers may expose infants to skin irritation, infections and other health risks due to possible contamination and the presence of harmful substances.
Consumers Urged to Verify Products
The FDA has urged the public to buy only registered baby diapers that are properly packaged and labelled, and to verify products against the FDA’s registered product list on its website. The Authority has also called on manufacturers, importers and distributors to comply with regulatory requirements, warning that the importation of unregistered and unhygienically packaged baby diapers will result in seizure and safe disposal at a cost to the importer.
