The Country Director of PharmAccess, Dr Maxwell Antwi, has disclosed that more than a quarter of the total medicines sold in the country are either fake or substandard.
According to him, the effects of these substandard drugs have had a toll on the African Continent, as 100,000 lives have been lost.
It is certainly not pleasant to learn that the fake medicine data is something that happens across the globe, but in Ghana, it is overwhelming.
The Chronicle is, indeed, alarmed that an estimated 30% of medicines in Ghana are fake or substandard, leading to treatment failures, negative side effects, antimicrobial resistances and spread of diseases and unnecessary deaths.
We are equally shocked to learn that the fake medicines market is worth over €400 billion, which is more profitable than narcotics, and that 100,000 deaths happen on the African Continent due to fake and substandard medicine.
To us, at The Chronicle, we believe all well-meaning Ghanaians, the European Union (EU) report that ranks Ghana number six of countries with the highest burden of fake medicines is the most unpleasant news to hit us, especially so in this Covid-19 era where the pandemic is taking a devastating toll on lives.
Dr Maxwell Antwi further reveals that a study carried out in Kintampo in the Bono East Region shows that four out of ten medicines sold in the town are either fake or substandard, a situation we believe calls for urgent attention from stakeholders.
Indeed, we must be worried as a country to learn that a study on anti-malaria in Ghana shows that 13 out of 14 tested antimycin-based anti-malaria drugs contain either an overdose or under dose.
We would like to call on the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Food and Drugs Authority, and all relevant stakeholders to immediately devise effective strategies to contain the situation.
The Chronicle, as a responsible media entity, suggests that we take a careful look at the high cost of some drugs being sold in the country. This, we believe, will be borne by the final consumer and not health institutions, although the high cost of medicines will also have a toll on the healthcare facilities.
It has been reported that the price of penicillin in Ghana is seven times that on the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. While this has negative implications for healthcare facilities and legitimate pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers, it is the patients in Ghana who pay the ultimate price.
It is against this background that The Chronicle is glad that the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and PharmAccess Ghana have been able to put in place some mechanisms to deal with fake and substandard medicines in the country through the Med4all platforms.
The Chronicle would like to stress that fake medications remain a top concern in the pharmaceutical industry, while today’s complex global economy, rise of online transactions and increasingly intricate pharmaceutical supply chains have made fake drugs increasingly difficult to discover, track and police.
The good news is that the industry remains more committed than ever to one of the top concerns around the globe.
Today, international organisations, law enforcement agencies, policymakers and the pharmaceutical executives themselves are implementing a number of robust, successful tactics that are curbing and reducing the amount of fake drugs that enter consumers’ homes.
The Chronicle is certain that Ghanaians can rely on our health authorities to fashion out strategies to combat the situation.
We believe that if, as a country, we make fake drugs a top concern, find new and encouraging technologies, stay proactive in the fight against fake drugs and our pharmaceutical industry remain vigilant, we can win the battle against fake drugs.
Editorial
Editorial: Threat of fake drugs must be top concern!
Editorial
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