Nformi Sonde Kinsai
10 October 2008
In a move to stem the harmful effects of contaminated Chinese milk, mothers in Cameroon have been advised to breastfeed their children as recommended by reproductive health officials.
The advice came from the President of the Cameroon Consumers League, Magellan Delor Kamgaing during a press conference in Yaounde, October 7. Kamgaing called on Cameroonians and particularly nursing mothers to avoid milk from doubtful sources.
"We are calling on cameroonians to avoid cheap milk products and in case of doubts of a particular brand, competent services of the Ministry of Commerce should be alerted immediately," he advised.
He contradicted a statement by Public Health Minister, Andre Mama Fouda, that contaminated milk is not found in Cameroon. Kamgaing said neighbouring Gabon is a massive importer of milk from China, and considering the porous nature of the border between the two countries, it was ill-advised for the Minister to make such outright declarations.
He argued further that Gabonese business people are likely to smuggle contaminated milk into the Cameroonian markets.One of such brands said to be contaminated by a protein enhancement chemical known as melanin and projected to the media at the press conference is Sanlu.
The Post gathered that the Health Minister's declaration was based on the fact that Cameroon is not an official importer of Chinese milk. However, Kamgaing suggested that the Minister would have simply created a fact finding committee to comb the Cameroonian markets.
He urged the Prime Minister to create such a committee comprising all the administrative units concerned. The Minister of Commerce, Luc Magloire Atangana, who issued an order banning the importation of milk from Asia, was also chided for what Kamgaing considered a belated action.
He said a couple of days ago, an official in the Ministry of Commerce confided that a collaborator in the Southwest Province had indicated that milk of doubtful origin was seized in Limbe. He cautioned Cameroonians against all milk based products.
While acknowledging the importance of the Cameroon-Chinese friendship, he noted that China cannot be dumped now because of the milk scandal.
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