The Minister of Public health in Cameroon Manaouda Malachie has claimed he received death threats after he announced the ban on skin-whitening products.
According to local reports, Malachie said he is not against the companies making money, but their products must not cause harm.
“You cannot fathom the number of phone calls and threats I have received since these press releases came out,” the minister was quoted by local media.
The minister last week ordered the suspension of a drinkable skin whitening product that had become popular in the country, warning that substances contained in the drink could be poisonous.
According to the minister, products that are not regulated could cause skin cancer, skin irritation or other health risks.
The Central African nation has seen a rise in the number of people using skin whitening products in recent months, but medical experts and dermatologists have warned the practice can be potentially dangerous.
Reports also indicate that one of the five companies banned belongs to a sitting member of parliament, Nourane Fotsing who responded to the ban saying, “These products are not harmful, they are beauty drinks.”
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