Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has suspended, from the local market, substandard herbal drugs that are said to increase the size of men’s genitals According to Rwanda FDA, the decision was taken after an inspection that was carried out in companies that manufacture, trade, and retail herbal drugs. The drugs include “Dawa ya Kupanua Uume” said to be used in male enhancement. The suspended drugs also include one dubbed “Delay Spray for Men” with 10 grams with Vitamin E also said to increase the size of men’s genitals. There is also the drug called “Ngetwa 3” with 130 grams that is said to be used in treating different diseases. The drug is manufactured by the NGETWA company. “In addition to being substandard, these drugs have adverse effects on the users. It is in this context that activities to advertise these drugs are also suspended,” a statement issued by FDA said. The food and drugs regulator has requested the manufacturers, importers, wholesalers as well as retailers of the herbal drugs that were suspended to immediately withdraw them from the market. “They must stop selling these drugs and have to return the remaining one to their suppliers,” FDA said. The authority also urged wholesalers to receive the returned drugs from retailers and put them off the market.. “Wholesalers must submit a report to the FDA in five days showing the amount of every drug that was returned to their stores,” said the warning. The regulator has urged the public that uses herbal drugs which were suspended to stop using. The New Times’s attempts to find out how long the drugs have been on the local market the market were futile as Rwanda FDA officials were not readily available for a comment by press time. The New Times has established that there are several illegal herbal drugs said to increase sexual pleasure that are also being advertised in WhatsApp groups by some operators which is contrary to trading food supplements for which they previously got a license from the ministry of health. Meanwhile, in June 2022 Food and drugs authority got Rwf2bn to boost regulation. The support aims to improve the enabling environment for the regulation of medicinal products and vaccines in the country.
