The Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Ayittey on Friday inaugurated the newly reconstituted eleven-member Board of the Food and Drugs Authority.

The inauguration of the new board became important after a recommendation from the committee, which was set up by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to investigate claims of importation of uncertified drugs by Tobinco Pharmaceutical, called for the dissolution of the old board.

Speaking at the inauguration, the health minister noted that the MOH would not in any way tolerate fake drugs in the country as they were detrimental to the health needs of Ghanaians.

She also charged the Food and Drugs Authority to monitor very well the Aflao, Elubo and all boarders to ensure that sub-standard and illegal drugs were not smuggled into the country.

She said the MOH regarded the work of the Food and Drugs Authority as important and would continue to monitor their activities for the safety of Ghanaians.

The mandates of the board included advising the Minister on measures needed to ensure the protection of the health of consumers, advising the Minister on the preparation of effective regulations and their implementation.

She said the Food and Drugs Authority was established by Act of Parliament (ACT851) to provide and enforce standards for the sale of food, herbal, medicinal products, cosmetics, drugs, medical devices and household chemical substances.

The new board members are Mr. Kofi Totobi Quakye, Chairman; Dr. George Ben Crentsil from Ghana Standards Authority; Dr Belinda Afriyie Nimako, University of Health and Allied Sciences; Mr. Joseph Nyoagbe, Pharmacy Council; Dr Bashiru Kikimoto, Ministry of Food and Agric and Togbega Dabra VI, Traditional and Alternative Medicine Practice Council.

The rest are Mr. Hudu Mogtari, Food and Drugs Authority; Ms Grace Ama Issahaque, Registrar-General’s Department; Mrs. Angela Owusu, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service Laboratory; Prof Dominic Adotei Edoh, Centre for Scientific Research Institute for Plant Medicine and Nanam Tay Diedeave, CSIR, Food Research Institute.

Mr. Totobi Quakye, who spoke on behalf of the board, pledged their readiness to work closely with the MOH to ensure that the health of Ghanaians was not jeopardised in any way.

He also pledged the readiness of the Board to work under the MOH to ensure that there was harmony in the health delivery of Ghanaians.