The Ministry of Health and Childcare has banned the sale and distribution of Johnson and Johnson baby powder in the country and ordered the destruction of the product following findings it caused cancer.
In a memorandum dated 24 May 2023 and addressed to all Provincial Medical Directors (PMDs), the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Air Commodore Jasper Chimedza ordered the products to be destroyed. He wrote:
<blockquote>
On 18 April 2023, an American television channel, Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) reported that Johnson and Johnson, an American multinational corporation, had assumed the liability to pay eight point nine billion United States Dollars (US$8.9 billion) to the medical industry in compensation over allegations that the company’s baby powder was causing cancer.
Research by the American Academy of Paediatrics unearthed that the talc used in the production of the baby powder was highly toxic due to contamination with carcinogen asbestos.
Tanzania Bureau of Standards on the 19th of April 2023, banned the importation and distribution and sale of Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder containing the talc ingredient.
The product is still popular in South Africa amid indications that most consumers are unaware of its potential risks.
Given the significant importation of health products by Zimbabwe from South Africa, there is a high risk that the contaminated baby powder could still be finding its way into the Zimbabwean market.
Ministry of Health and Child Care is banning the importation and distribution and sale of Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder containing the talc ingredient with immediate effect.
Environmental Health Officers and Technicians are advised to remove all Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder containing the talc ingredient from the market.
Inspectors are advised to document their findings and the products must be destroyed or recalled to the manufacturers.
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Zimbabwe Bans Cancer Causing Johnson And Johnson Baby Powder

The government of Zimbabwe has raised a red flag over baby powder that was recently imported from South Africa.
This follows an announcement by Tiger Brands, one of the biggest commodity manufacturers in the neighbouring country, that they are recalling batches of Purity Essential Baby Powder over traces of asbestos. Reads the Tiger Brands statement:
<blockquote>
Tiger Brands of South Africa is recalling Purity Essential Baby Powder from shops. The product contains unacceptable levels of asbestos which cause a rare cancer called mesothelioma. The traces were recently detected in test samples prompting the recall of the product. The following packages are recalled: Purity Essentials Baby Powder/Purity &amp; Elizabeth Anne’s Essentials Baby Powder (100g) Code 6009523601859, Purity Essentials Baby Powder(200g) Code 6009523601866, Purity Essentials Baby Powder(400g) Code 6009523601828 and Purity &amp; Elizabeth Anne’s Fresh Baby Powder(400g) Code 6009523604515.
</blockquote>
Asbestos may cause rare cancer called mesothelioma.
In an advisory to provincial medical directors, directors of health services and chief environment health officers, the permanent secretary of Health and Child Care, Jasper Chimedza, called for the removal of the product from shops. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
Given that a significant number of products in our supermarkets are sourced from South Africa, there is a possibility that some batches of the baby powder in question are already in Zimbabwe.
These products should be removed from the shelves or intercepted at points of entry.
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This is not the first time that Tiger Brands have had to recall their products over suspected contamination.
In 2018, the company made continental news after recalling its polony products, after it had been seen that they were contaminated with listeriosis-causing pathogens.
Zimbabwe relies on imports from South Africa to cater for its growing population and Tiger Brands’ products have a huge presence on the domestic market.
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