Ghana confronts serious public health and economic risks following revelations that everyday consumer products contain dangerously high levels of heavy metals, according to a joint study by the Food and Drugs Authority and UNICEF.
The nationwide surveillance exercise uncovered alarming contamination in products widely used by Ghanaian families, including traditional eyeliner known as kohl or kaji kaji, turmeric, white baked clay consumed by pregnant women, and cereal mixes given to children.
About 80% of traditional eyeliner samples contained dangerously high lead levels, while nearly 25% of white baked clay samples consumed by pregnant women showed contamination, according to the findings. Kohl recorded a 77.79% contamination rate for lead, with Upper East and Eastern regions showing 100% contamination in every sample tested.
The study revealed lead levels in some products thousands of times higher than safe limits. Tests also detected cadmium in cereal mixes, a toxic metal that can damage kidneys when consumed over time.
Lead exposure poses particularly severe risks for children and pregnant women, potentially causing lasting brain and nerve damage, impaired development and learning difficulties. Cadmium accumulation can lead to kidney disease and bone damage through prolonged exposure.
The products examined are staples in many Ghanaian households. Women and children use kohl for beauty or traditional purposes, turmeric serves as a popular spice in cooking and herbal medicine, and cereal mixes like Tom Brown are widely consumed by children. White baked clay, known as shire, ayilor or farinkasa, is eaten by some pregnant women.
Health experts warn that continued use of contaminated products could increase preventable illnesses, especially among children and low income families who face the greatest exposure risk. Treatment costs for heavy metal poisoning could run into millions of cedis annually, placing additional strain on the National Health Insurance Scheme and household finances.
Beyond immediate health impacts, economic consequences could prove severe. When people fall sick, productivity drops and families divert income to medical care, potentially resulting in billions of cedis in lost economic output.
Ghana’s export sector faces reputational damage if international buyers learn of contamination in Ghanaian products. Importing countries could impose restrictions or bans, costing local businesses millions in lost trade opportunities and damaging the country’s standing in global markets.
Market vendors selling these products risk losing livelihoods as consumer confidence erodes. For many traders, these small businesses represent their only income source, and sales declines could deepen hardship for families already struggling with high living costs.
The FDA and UNICEF study, supported by development partners, examined multiple product categories across different regions. The geographic pattern of contamination, with some regions showing 100% contamination rates, suggests widespread issues in supply chains rather than isolated incidents.
Experts have called for immediate action including recalls of high risk products, particularly kohl and turmeric. The Food and Drugs Authority and Ghana Standards Authority need to strengthen border monitoring and intensify market surveillance to prevent contaminated products from entering circulation.
Updating national safety standards to match international benchmarks remains critical, especially establishing clear limits for lead and cadmium in food and cosmetics. Current regulatory frameworks may lack sufficient specificity to address heavy metal contamination effectively.
Public education campaigns could help consumers understand risks and make safer choices. Many families remain unaware that products they’ve used for generations may pose serious health threats.
The contamination issue intersects with broader questions about informal trade networks, product sourcing and quality control in Ghana’s consumer markets. Many affected products enter through informal channels with minimal oversight.
Whether authorities will implement comprehensive recalls, strengthen enforcement and update safety standards remains to be seen. Past food safety incidents have sometimes seen initial attention followed by limited follow through on systemic reforms.
The timing adds urgency, as delays allow continued exposure and accumulating health impacts. Children affected by lead poisoning may experience irreversible developmental damage, creating long term social and economic costs beyond immediate medical expenses.
International organizations including UNICEF have emphasized that lead exposure represents a preventable health crisis requiring coordinated government action, industry cooperation and community awareness.
