W/R FDA to clamp down on substandard, falsified drugs

The Western Region Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has launched a campaign to combat substandard and falsified medicines in Ghana.

This campaign to the FDA is to ensure that quality, safe and officious medical products are available in the Ghanaian market.

The Western Regional Head for the Authority, Abu Sumaila, indicated that the dangers of substandard and falsified products in the Ghanaian market cannot be overemphasised.

“Substandard and falsified products are by their nature very difficult to detect because they often appear identical to the genuine product and may not cause obvious adverse reaction,” he said.

“However, they often fail to properly treat the disease or condition for which they were intended and can lead to serious health consequences including death.”

Studies over the years have shown that substandard and falsified medicines continue to be the bane of the developing world and Ghana has not been an exception.

A research by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 estimated that 1 in 10 medical products in low and middle income countries are substandard and falsified and is considered as a million-dollar business that claims lives of millions around the world.

In Africa, it is estimated that 31, 000 to 116,000 persons die annually using SF antimalarial to the tune of about $38.5 million.

Mr. Abu Sumaila is, therefore, appealing to all stakeholders to support the Food and Drugs Authority by reporting any suspicious activities involving substandard and falsified medical products as they seek to bring an end to this menace.

By Victoria Nana Amoh|editors.3news.com|Ghana