Dr Kwame Sarpong Asiedu, a Public Health Officer, has called for a more deterring punishment for pharmacy shops in Ghana that trade in illicit drugs.
This follows a recent exposè by BBC Africa Eye, in a documentary, which revealed that some over-the-counter pharmacy shops were engaged in the trading of opioids, an illicit drug.
Speaking on an Accra television station (Joy News) over the matter on Saturday, Dr Asiedu said those pharmacy shops must be hauled before the law courts and “criminally prosecuted” to deter others from similar practices.
“When the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) finds these products in over-the-counter shops, they are issued with administrative order,” he said.
“I totally disagree with that because for people who have these products, they should be leading us to the source of these products and they should be criminally prosecuted.”
“So, whether it is the Pharmacy Council of the FDA, when they are found they should be dealt with.”
Dr Asiedu, also a CDD Fellow, attributed the circulation of opioids to the porous systems at the country’s port, alleging that the absence of collaboration between security agencies at the ports led to the passage of illicit drug without detection.
“The products were seized by the Food and Drugs Authority, meaning that the products got through our ports,” he said.
“ It was NarCoC who had intel that led to the seizure, so that is a complete confirmation that the thing was coming through our ports and that is scary.”
“It is scary because Customs are custodians of our ports, whether is Tema, whether is Kotoka, whether is Takoradi, when a medicine comes in, a medicine strictly is a red channel product, so the FDA has to be informed and NarCoC has to be informed…”
“…That those containers got out of our ports without the knowledge of NarCoC and FDA means that there is some level of complicity from the Customs because the drugs didn’t go through the right channel.”
“I think Customs has a huge question to answer.”
Mr Bobby Banson, a Private Legal Practitioner, speaking on the same programme, advised the government to initiate lawsuits against manufacturers of the illicit drug; opioids, for compensation.
He explained that the monies to be retrieved could be used to compensate families and victims of the illicit drug as well as build rehabilitation centres to help in the reformation of the affected persons.
Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, the Executive Director, Ark Foundation, called for stringent measures to protect the youth from such drugs, saying research showed that boys, as young as 10 years, were found engaging in drug abuse.
GNA
