The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) embarked on a nationwide product-quality monitoring exercise in selected facilities and markets to ascertain the compliance (thickness) of face masks from 28th June 2021 to 9th August 2021.

The objective of this monitoring exercise by the Authority was to check the conformance of the face masks sold on the market with the FDA’s In-House Specification (LSD/MED/GL-02) for testing face masks.

The quality control activities nationwide revealed that out of a total of 180 face masks samples obtained from the exercise, 155 samples passed the standards specification test, constituting 86.1% of the total samples, and 25 failed the test, constituting 13.9%, as per the Authority’s specifications. 

Fourteen (14) brands had been registered and approved by the FDA at the time of the exercise while one hundred and sixty-two (162) brands were unregistered with the Authority.  

Regions	No. of brands sampled	No. of brands passed	No. of brands that failed	No. of registered brands	No. of unregistered brands	No. of brands that have initiated registration
Accra	25	24	1	6	19	0
Ashanti	21	21	0	2	19	0
Bono	13	11	2	0	13	0
Central	20	20	0	1	19	0
Eastern	19	15	4	0	19	0
Northern	22	22	0	1	21	0
Volta	15	4	11	1	10	0
Western	14	14	0	1	13	0
Upper West	11	11	0	2	9	0
Upper East	20	13	7	0	20	0

Products that did not conform to the Authority’s specifications at the end of the exercise were detained awaiting safe disposal.

Importers of failed samples have been directed to initiate a recall of the failed samples and furnish the Authority with the necessary documentation.

Importers of unregistered brands have been directed by the Authority to bring their activities into regulatory compliance.

The general public is advised to report any suspicious FDA-regulated product. 

Importers and manufacturers are warned to desist from importing and producing products that are non-compliant with the approved standards.