Standards bureau scrutinises milk imports

Sep 23, 2008

THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards is scrutinising milk imports. This follows an international scare where over 50,000 children in China fell ill after consuming milk powder contaminated with the industrial chemical, melamine.

By David Muwanga

THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards is scrutinising milk imports. This follows an international scare where over 50,000 children in China fell ill after consuming milk powder contaminated with the industrial chemical, melamine.

Of these, four died while about 13,000 are in hospital.

Most victims are under two years and more than 100 are in a serious condition after consuming milk powder from the Sanlu Group that produces Yashili infant formula, the company where the contamination was first revealed two weeks ago.

“We have not banned imports but we have tightened on checks on any milk that is being imported into the country,” said the UNBS executive director, Dr. Terry Kahuma.

“It is a precautionary measure. The border officers should contact the headquarters before they clear any milk consignment.”

Melamine is a highly toxic industrial chemical that causes kidney failure, especially when it is mixed with other chemicals.

Several countries that have been importing milk from China have banned the imports. They include Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Gabon from Africa. Others are Singapore, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Uganda does not import any milk from China, according to the bureau data base report.

Uganda imports milk and milk products from South Africa, Kenya, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Pakistan, Argentina, Vietnam, India, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Nigeria.

“The public should not panic but must be on the look out and report to the authorities,” Kahuma added yesterday.

“Although we are manning the border points, the public should take precaution measures that before they consume any type of milk, they first check the country of origin because the tainted milk may be smuggled into the country.”

He said the bureau, the Ministry of Health, the Diary Development Authority and other East African Community bureaus were exploring possible courses of action.

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