Dr. Edward Opira, a Veterinary Officer of Lakang subcounty in Amuru district has watered down claims by the National Drug Authority (NDA) that Pastor Robert Kayanja’s insecticide/ acaricide was harmful to humans.
Early this month, NDA officials alleged that Pastor Kayanja and several others distributed a drug called Tick-Off that kills ticks, but it was tested and found to have chemicals that are banned because they are harmful to humans and can cause cancer.
Mr Abiaz Rwamwiri, the NDA public relations manager, said the drug contained harmful chemicals like Diazinon, Fipronil and Benalaxyl.
Following the allegations, Pastor Kayanja who also serves as the lead Preacher at Miracle Centre Cathedral was forced to task NDA to apologize for what he called a defamatory statement they made on social media about him.
Through KATS and Company Advocates, Kayanja, in a letter dated February 8, 2023, wants Rwamiri to also issue a public apology to him in the media outlets as well as on social media, where his defamatory statement was published, within 72 hours.
“If you fail to adhere to this demand, we have further instructions to institute legal proceedings against you for the recovery of compensation for damage caused to our client’s reputation as a good-standing person in society, to your peril and detriment,” the law firm indicated.
Now, Dr Opira says after NDA’s claim that Pastor’s Kayanja’s veterinary drug was dangerous, he waited for a report released by the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory to conclude whether the claims could be scientifically supported.
“Based on my experience and research on each of the chemicals listed by the NDA, Diazinon, Fipronil and Benalaxyl, such claims cannot be scientifically supported. To understand the calculations and scientific research provided. It is important to note that Tick-Off is packaged as 50gms, which is to be diluted by the farmer in 20 liters of water for use on the cow. If a farmer was to use 1kg of the product, it would contain 20, 50gm packets, which should be diluted 500 liters of water,” Dr. Opira said on Monday.
He added that a report by the World Health Organisation investigating pesticide residues in food revealed that Diazinon was found to be mobile in 80 percent of the 25 soils tested.
“Consequently, a joint toxicology evaluation was conducted by Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations and WHO in 2006 on Diazinon. Two groups of 15 male and female rats were given single doses of Diazinon to test its neurotoxic effects. The findings concluded that up to a 600mg dosage of Diazinon had no lethal neurotoxic effect. This study aids in proving that the quantity of Diazinon in Tick-Off is so insignificant that it cannot by any means kill ticks.”
The second accusation by NDA stated that , Fipronil is a spray banned from food producing animals because they of the long withdrawal period due to the potential risks it could have on human health.
According to NDA register, as of February 2022, Fipronil is an authorized active ingredient in pestigon, an approved drug for pesticide control, Reg. No, NDA/ MAL /VDP/ 1594.
“Fipronil was found by NDA at a concentration of 0.56mg/kg in Tick- Off. Once diluted in 20 liters of water, this gives 0.0000000014% as the final concentration amount applied to the cow. This is different from the the active concentrations for most Fipronil formulations for tick control or spot-on treatments, as well as sprays and collars,” Dr. Opira explained.
“The NDA Public Relations Manager Abiaz Rwamiri emphasized that ‘science is science’. He emphasized how the product Tick Off had carcinogenic properties that cause cancer called Benalaxyl. However, a study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology investigated the effectiveness of Benalaxyl for controlling a common bed bug. The study found that Benalaxyl applied at a concentration of 0.5 % was not effective in in killing bed bugs or reduce their reproduction. So here we are again. How can a concentration of less than 0.0000000095% which was found in Tick- Off kills ticks, pests or cause cancer? The amount is so minute that it begs the question of why someone would labour to put in it. The concentrations found are too low to have a significant pharmacological effect on ticks,” he added.
In conclusion, Dr. Opira says the scientific report released by the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory does not support the claims and statements made by NDA since the concentrations found to be present in Tick- Off are too far low to have the type of effect as it was alleged.
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