FILE PHOTO: Bottles of Johnson & Johnson baby powder line a drugstore shelf in New York October 15, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

The ministry of Health has banned the importation, sale and distribution of  Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder containing talc ingredient with immediate effect.

The Johnson & Johnson company is set to pay $8.9bn to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talc in its iconic Baby Powder and other products caused cancer.

In a statement, Health secretary Mr Chimedza said Johnsons and Johnson baby powder containing talc should be removed from the market.