Anger is rising in Senegal after regulators accused a Chinese hygiene products firm of holding expired materials used in sanitary pads and diapers.
The Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency said inspectors found 1,300 kilograms of expired or unsuitable raw materials at Softcare’s local factory.
In early December, the regulator ordered Softcare to withdraw affected products until manufacturing processes were brought into regulatory compliance.
Days later, the agency’s director reversed course, saying company documents showed expired materials were never used in production.
Inspectors rejected that conclusion, as social media filled with complaints of itching allegedly linked to the company’s products.
Softcare, a subsidiary of China’s Sunda International, denied using expired materials and said the batch remains unused in storage.
The controversy touched a nerve in west and central Africa, where women often struggle to access safe, affordable menstrual products.
Doctors warned that inappropriate materials in such products can cause irritation, itching, allergies, or infections, especially among young users.
Pharmacists and consumers shared testimonies online, describing discomfort after using the sanitary pads, intensifying public mistrust.
At a January rally, opposition lawmaker Guy Marius Sagna accused health authorities of silence and demanded accountability from the government.
The dispute deepened when an inspector alleged bribery attempts by company agents, accusations Softcare strongly denied as defamatory.
Senegal’s health ministry announced a joint investigation, while parliament launched hearings into the decision to withdraw and reinstate products.
Activists accused authorities of dragging their feet and warned further protests would follow without clear, transparent conclusions.
The affair echoed earlier complaints in Cameroon and renewed broader concerns over menstrual product quality across African markets.