The government has issued a strong warning to manufacturers and distributors of fake cosmetic products, ordering that they must comply with standards or face full force of the law. 

Speaking at a news briefing in Kigali, yesterday, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, the minister for health, urged the public to beware.

A ministerial order listing the prohibited cosmetics has so far been approved and now the ministry and other government implementing agencies are set to start the crackdown, Dr Binagwaho said.

The move evokes law NO47/2012 gazetted on January 14, 2013.

"The Ministry of Health and other concerned stakeholders have established mandatory standards for cosmetics in accordance with the national and international standards and, therefore, all manufacturers, importers and distributors who don’t comply with these standards shall be listed illegal,” she said.

The law was enacted to strengthen regulation and inspection of food and pharmaceutical products while protecting the public from consumption of any harmful products, Binagwaho said.

The law regulates manufacturers, importers, distributors as well as use of cosmetics that contain substances that are hazardous for human consumption.

"All stakeholders are, therefore, urged to comply with the provisions of the laws and regulations in place to ensure safety of all users,” Dr Binagwaho said.

According to Joseph Kabatende, the coordinator of pharmaceutical service at the Ministry of Health, about 1,342 cosmetic ingredients have already been identified as harmful and listed under the new order.

"The cosmetics listed as prohibited are those that contain ingredients that are harmful and could cause cancer and sever skin conditions,” Kabatende said.

The cosmetics include skin moisturisers, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, shampoos, permanent waves, hair dyes, toothpastes, and deodorants, as well as other components of a cosmetic product, he added.

Philip Nzaire, the director quality assurance and inspection at Rwanda Standards Board, said the board is working with all stakeholders to ensure fake products are identified and destroyed immediately.

"We are working with our partners to ensure the public is protected from these hazardous products as soon as possible,” Nzaire said.

He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any of the prohibited products when identified on the market.

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