Statement from Dr. Renu Garg, Senior Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Resolve to Save Lives
NEW YORK, USA, 10 May 2023 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- “We congratulate Nigeria on the passage of its new best practice trans fat elimination policy, which will save approximately 1,200 lives per year. As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria has set a powerful example for other African nations that wish to protect the heart health of their people and reach for a trans fat-free Africa.
“Not only would passing best practice policies help to reduce the burden of heart disease throughout Africa, but it would inhibit the dumping of unhealthy foods into Africa as the rest of the world passes policies to ban the toxic food additive. Already, nearly half of the world’s population is covered by trans fat free policies.
“This regulation is the result of years of work and partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health; Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); the Network for Health Equity and Development; Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa; Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI); and Resolve to Save Lives. We look forward to supporting the Ministry of Health and NAFDAC to implement the regulation and apply for the World Health Organization’s validation program which will recognize countries that have officially eliminated industrially produced trans fat from their food supply.”
About Trans Fat Elimination
The World Health Organization has partnered with Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization, to support the development and implementation of the REPLACE action package. Launched in 2018, the WHO’s REPLACE action package provides a strategic approach to eliminating industrially produced trans fat from national food supplies. Global trans fat elimination can save more than 17 million lives over the next 25 years and prevent at least twice as many heart attacks.
About Resolve to Save Lives
Resolve to Save Lives is a not-for-profit organization partnering with countries, communities and organizations to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease and make the world safer from epidemics.
To find out more, visit: https://www.resolvetosavelives.org or Twitter @ResolveTSL.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Resolve To Save Lives.
