The impact of fake drugs on the society is more than the combined effects of malaria, HIV/AIDS and armed robbery, Deputy Minister of Health Dr Alfred Tia Sugri has said.

Speaking at the induction ceremony of 146 newly registered pharmacists, Dr Sugri also stressed the impact of fake drugs is worse than narcotics.

He, therefore, asked the newly registered pharmacists to help flush quacks and fake drugs out of the system. The number of inductees this year is an increase in last year’s number of 121.

According to the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Joseph Nyoagbe, Ghana boasts of about 2,327 registered pharmacists as of 2013.

However, 1,652 are in the country while 675 are practising in the diaspora, Mr Nyoagbe said.

“[It]creates a gap of 14,548 to one pharmacist,” he added.

So far, the Ministry of Health has employed 113 pharmacists out of which 105 are undergoing orientation.

To maintain the quality of medicines, pharmacy inspectors last year made 1,552 visits to some pharmaceutical companies and shops.

They identified 51 companies and pharmacy shops which were violating conditions set on licenses.

Twenty-five out of the 51 were chemical sellers while 16 comprised pharmaceutical companies and 10 pharmacy shops.

They were duly sanctioned, Mr Nyoagbe noted.