Public Agenda (Accra)
31 March 2008
editorial
Accra — It is heartwarming to hear that the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has decided to teamup with the Pharmacy Council to launch a nationwide intensive programme to prevent unregistered food and drugs from being sold in Ghana.
At a press briefing last week, the FDB vowed to halt attempts by some gangsters to launch into Ghana's growing economy through the selling of unwholesome products.
It expressed grave concern at the influx of sex enhancing drugs, particularly those of Chinese origin and agreed that inferior grades and unwholesome ingredients are being used to produce some of these drugs which could have severe effects on the users.
"We cannot afford to make Ghana a refuse dump for all kinds of unwholesome products," the Deputy Executive Director of FDB, Rev. J.Y. Mantey told the journalists.
This newspaper is particularly glad that, the FDB is not playing the ostrich and pretending, (like some pharmaceutical experts would like Ghanaians to believe) that there are no fake drugs on our market.
Though it must be said that Ghana has not lost the battle yet to the fake drug business, it behooves on all Ghanaians to work to maintain standards, since the regulatory authority cannot do it alone. On that score, every Ghanaian must exercise his/her civic responsibility to complement the fight against inferior products as is being done by in western countries.
For instance, while the regulatory authorities are working to flush fake drugs out of the market, it beats our imagination why anyone would buy drugs labeled in Chinese and purported to have been imported from America.
There are legally recognized channels for the distribution of drugs in this country and those who are health conscious must follow these legal provisions and buy from licensed chemical shops.
Those whose interest is mainly to make money at the expense of peoples' lives should not be allowed to have their way. For that reason the FDB and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), which is the agency responsible for work at the country's entry points must renew their commitment to ensure that unregistered products do not find their way into the country at the expense of public health.
Anybody entering Ghana with any kind of baggage should be searched thoroughly; if the regulators are to get on top of the situation and save the unsuspecting public from needless pain and death.
The time has come for a concerted effort to stem the tide of malpractices in the pharmaceutical industry. This newspaper wants to believe that the FDB and its partners mean business.
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