FDA swoops down on illegal herbal peddlers in Eastern Region

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) office in the Eastern Region with support from the Koforidua Central Police Command have raided some parts of Koforidua central market to arrest people peddling unregistered medicinal products.
The products included Aphrodisiac (drugs that stimulates sexual desires) such as Henigra 200, Hiergra 200, AK 47, and Maxx man.

Madam Anita Owusu-Kuffour, Eastern Regional Acting Head of FDA told the Ghana News Agency that such products among others could not be guaranteed on the market and the swoop exercise (unannounced) was part of the Authority’s mandate to clear the market of non-conforming goods.

She said the exercise was conducted after the FDA’s regular awareness raising on unregulated products was done at market centres and lorry parks to draw people’s attention to health hazards in purchasing and using of such goods.

The exercise, which took place at Nkurakan, Effiduase, Korley Nkwanta and Koforidua township focused on drug peddlers, herbal retail shops, and operators of community information centres.

They arrested nine people including persons running information centres that had drug manufacturers depositing products for sale with a continuous pre-recorded advertisement, particularly on unregistered Aphrodisiac.
They are currently under investigation for possible prosecution while the seized unregistered drugs were in FDA’s confinement, she said.

The swoop will be extended to the rest of the districts in the region. “Some of such medicinal products do not have any label and others too provide labels as and when you buy.

The sellers could be seeking for wrong labels for such products and this situation is worrying,” she lamented.

Madam Owusu-Kuffour urged the public/ consumers to buy products from recognized facilities and traceable places, cautioning that if you buy from hawkers, you will not be able to trace them when facing health complications after using a drug.

“Consider buying FDA registered products. It is only when a product is registered that you will know it has gone through the necessary procedures and it is guaranteed, she said adding that “safety and efficacy is important.”
She said raiding the market of unregistered medicinal products exercise drew public’s attention to the works of the Food and Drugs Authority in ensuring that wholesome products were offered for sale.

FDA exists to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of human and veterinary drugs, food, medicinal products, cosmetics, medical devices and household chemical substances.