I came across this exchange on a very important national issue which I have written on before and which is still dear to my heart on ghanaweb's Say It Loud Forum and I like bringing it here for the attention of all. Indeed it is the nation's health which is at stake here. The Issue of fake and counterfeit drugs on the market is impacting negatively on the health of our nation and bringing the health services into disrepute. It is absolutely disgusting to learn that those who are entrusted with protecting our health are rather condoning and conniving with fake drug manufacturers, importers and exporters to kill us. Now read on:
Author: Dr. Red Hot (210.253.212.74) Date: 03-28-2007 12:57
Where is the Ghana Standards Board? Do we have a National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration in Ghana? Does the Ministry of Health care? Please, this is a serious public health issue. Somebody must act NOW to protect the nation's health. There are too many fake drugs and counterfeit medicine on the market now and it is killing thousands of people on daily basis.
It takes courage and determination to fight corruption but it looks like the present administration has none of these. The corrupt practices in the manufacturing , import and export of drugs,cosmetics and food products need to be tackled with all seriousness now. Counterfeit drugs is a leading cost of death by stroke and heart failure in Ghana. The government needs to prosecute illegal drug traders and impose strict standards on multinationals companies and their local collaborators. Currently, an ampicillin anti-biotic on the market purportedly made by Ipca Laboratories Limited for Phyto Riker (GIHOC) Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. HO 45, Wall Street, New York, USA is fake and does not contain enough ampicillin genules . Its safety is suspect and I wonder who approved it for sale in Ghana. What tests were conducted and what are the test results. I sent some for analysis and it is completely fake and outright dangerous to the public health but they are being offered for sale in the open market in all drug stores in the country. The Ministry of Health and the government must declare war on this fake drugs manufacturers , importers and exporters and their local agents.
Even Nigeria of all places is clamping down on fake and counterfeit drugs and as a result , these importers and exporters and fake drug manufacturers are dumping their products in Ghana. A classical case is ROBB made by PZ Nigeria Limited, 33 Planning Office Way,ILUPEJU which is currently available in Ghana on the market in large quanties. Get one of these and compare it with the RObb made in Ghana, and immediately you will see the difference. The Nigerian Robb does not contain the right amount of Menthol, Methyl sal, and Camphor. It is basically grease put in a Robb container and being sold as Robb to unsuspecting Ghanaians. It is dangerous.Yet we have a government that is supposed to check on the safety of drugs, cosmetics and food products on the market to save and protect its citizens and the national health.
Author: kewe (193.195.200.234)
Date: 03-29-2007 08:32
THIS IS TRUE, BUT THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE GHANA STANDARDS BOARD COLLABORATE WITH THESE FAKE DRUG MANUFACTURERS TO BRING THE DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY FOR A LARGE SUM OF MONEY. THIS IS A FACT.
Author: Dr. Red Hot
(210.253.212.74)
Date: 03-29-2007 08:53
Kewe: I can't believe it if the Ministry of Health is in league with these fake drugs manufacturers for fees to line their own pockets. .... The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Standards Board are there to protect the National health , aren't they?
Author: kewe (193.195.200.234)
Date: 03-29-2007 10:15
Dr. Red Hot, The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Standards Board's first priority is to line their pockects to the detrement of the nation. My earlier assertion is true. They collaborate with the Fake Drug Manufacturers ans pass the drugs as safe for a large fee. This happens all over Africa because of corrupt governance. My friend, a London trained pharmacist who was employed by the Ghana Standards Board a few years ago, had to quit his job for fear of his life when his analysis of drugs imported into the country by MOH proved to be sub standard. He was asked to alter the results of his test to make his analysis authentic but he resisted. He kept having all sorts of visitors (including a gov.minister, top officials of the Ministry of Health/Standard Board and even a senior pharmacology lecturer from UST) calling at his house at night trying to persuade and putting pressure on him to alter his evidence. His conscience would not allow him to collaborate with them and he eventually left his position and came back to the UK where he is currently working for a pharmateucical company. BELIEVE ME THIS IS TRUE AND IS A COMMON PRACTICE IN GHANA. THE STAKES ARE HIGH. PLEASE READ "THE CONSTANT GARDENER" by John Le Carre
Author: Logozo (65.208.210.97)
Date: 03-28-2007 14:50
Dr. Red Hot, you raise a very important point and need to do your duty as a citizen to call the ministry of health and speak to who is in charge. Bioavailability studies for all generic drugs need to be performed before it is approved OK. The problem is that the drugs are being smuggled into the country as such, they bypass inspection or scrutiny by the board. You're right, the government must reconsider the priority being given to this matter. This is a massive problem.
May all beings be at ease-
Logozo
Author: Dr. Red Hot (210.253.212.74) Date: 03-29-2007 09:06
A criminal gang of hoodlums and nation wreckers are in control and are about to wreck havoc on the country. Remember, they take their kin out of the country for treatment ag$B#a(Binst such simple ailments as headache. They don't care about you. in anything, or make anything especially food, medicine, cosmetics etc and offer them for sale without checking the safety of the products. The government needs to revamp the Standards Board to be able to perform its watchdog role effectively. What Kewe wrote about above of a collaboration between and among the Ministry of Health, Standards Board, and some leading politicians and pharmacologists need to be investigated.
Tokyo Japan.
The author is a political and social analyst based in Tokyo, Japan. He welcomes your comments and contributions$B!!(Bin the fight against social injustice and political corruption.
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.
