• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, July 13, 2025
  • Login
The Vaultz News
  • Top Stories
  • News
    • General News
    • Education
    • Health
    • Opinions
  • Economics
    • Economy
    • Finance
      • Banking
      • Insurance
      • Pension
    • Securities/Markets
  • Business
    • Agribusiness
    • Vaultz Business
    • Extractives/Energy
    • Real Estate
  • World
    • Africa
    • America
    • Europe
    • UK
    • USA
    • Asia
    • Around the Globe
  • Innovation
    • Technology
    • Wheels
  • Entertainment
  • 20MOBPL2DNew
  • Jobs & Scholarships
    • Job Vacancies
    • Scholarships
No Result
View All Result
The Vaultz News
  • Top Stories
  • News
    • General News
    • Education
    • Health
    • Opinions
  • Economics
    • Economy
    • Finance
      • Banking
      • Insurance
      • Pension
    • Securities/Markets
  • Business
    • Agribusiness
    • Vaultz Business
    • Extractives/Energy
    • Real Estate
  • World
    • Africa
    • America
    • Europe
    • UK
    • USA
    • Asia
    • Around the Globe
  • Innovation
    • Technology
    • Wheels
  • Entertainment
  • 20MOBPL2DNew
  • Jobs & Scholarships
    • Job Vacancies
    • Scholarships
No Result
View All Result
The Vaultz News
No Result
View All Result

Fake pharmaceutical industry thrives in West Africa

July 14, 2020
Stephen M.Cby Stephen M.C
in Sub Top Stories1, Africa, World
0
Fake pharmaceutical industry thrives in West Africa

Fake drugs

Law enforcement agencies are battling to crackdown on foreign-linked criminal syndicates as the counterfeit pharmaceutical industry is thriving in West Africa.

It is rare to have a conversation in Nigeria about the problem of falsified medicine without a mention of the My Pikin syrup tragedy.

In 2009, 84 children were killed by a batch of teething syrup that contained diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent and ingredient found in antifreeze and brake fluid. Two employees from the company which made the syrup were found guilty by a court.

RelatedPosts

Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference

Erdogan Hails PKK’s Disarmament

NDC’s Ewurabena Aubynn Secures Historic Victory in Ablekuma North Rerun

More than 30 million counterfeit tablets shipped from India were seized in one week in Lagos


‘Bad drugs’

The case was significant as convictions for manufacturing or selling falsified medicines remain uncommon in Nigeria.

Dr. Roberts said, “that’s the one that got into the papers. We’ve had numerous issues”.

Dr. Roberts, a senior lecturer at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, is lucky that the hospital has a robust drug procurement system and they do not have problems with falsified medicines, although they do see patients who have encountered bad drugs.

She is concerned there may be more in the coming months due to the effect Covid-19 is having on the supply of drugs in Nigeria.

“There are shortages looming – cancer drugs, antibiotics,” Dr. Roberts said.

When hospital pharmacies go out of stock, patients will purchase drugs elsewhere, often from unregulated markets.

Street sellers peddling drugs is a familiar scene across West Africa – where in many countries the sale of pharmaceuticals is more a trade than a profession.

dp
Drug peddlers

The lack of regulatory oversight is one of the reasons why the region is so attractive to criminals in the business of falsifying medicines. And in West Africa it is a big business.

The criminals have been keeping the head of the Intellectual Property Rights Unit at the customs service, Mohammed Babandede, and his team busy of late as the pandemic has created the perfect storm for fake medicines to flourish.

“It is really scary,” he said, adding that in one week more than 30 million counterfeit tablets had been seized.

He explained that authorities in India had provided intelligence on a shipment coming into Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, the commercial capital.

Powerful networks

The consignment included significant amounts of counterfeit dexamethasone – a medicine believed to treat severe Covid-19 symptoms.

In the same week, he also intercepted 920,000 fake tramadol tablets at Lagos airport that had come from India’s main city, Mumbai. These pills were likely destined for markets in northern Nigeria where abuse of the drug is rampant.

Matter of life and death

With under resourced border teams and large porous borders, authorities have their work cut out.

Mr. Van den Berghe said, “we are ramping up our operations, focusing on more border crossing points to respond to the efforts of these criminals”.

With an estimated 116,000 deaths a year caused by substandard and falsified anti-malarial drugs in sub-Saharan Africa alone, these operations could be a matter of life and death.

fk
Fake drug being burnt

Yet, experts warn that if the overall war against fake medicines is to be won, more must be done to ensure access to healthcare for all.

Dr. Gernot Klantschnig, a senior lecturer in International Criminology at Bristol University in England said, “there must be a parallel effort to fix vulnerabilities in health markets in West Africa; in some countries, wealth has become a determining factor for gaining access to quality healthcare and drugs”.

“Hopefully the weaknesses in health systems Covid-19 has further exposed will lead governments to prioritize ensuring every citizen has access to safe and affordable medicines”.

Dr. Gernot Klantschnig
Tags: BBCDrug peddlersFake drugregulationsWest Africa
Please login to join discussion
Previous Post

AFDB appoints Dr. Rabah Arezki as Chief Economist and Vice President

Next Post

GNPC Calls for Support in Its Operations

Sign up for The Vaultz analytic wire

Get weekly news analysis from top editors at The Vaultz and stay informed on trending economic and business issues from across the globe.

Related Posts

Kow Abaka Essuman, Violence, President
General News

Ayawaso Lessons Resurface Amid Fresh Concerns Over Political Violence

July 13, 2025
Ablekuma North rerun raises questions on anti-vigilante laws
General News

Aboagye Faults Anti-Vigilante Law Post Ablekuma North Rerun Violence

July 13, 2025
AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey
Entertainment

AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey

July 12, 2025
IMF Team to Arrive in Ghana for Talks on Economy and 2025 Budget
Economy

IMF Flags Ghana as High Risk for Debt Distress Despite Debt Being “Sustainable”

July 12, 2025
Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference
Africa

Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference

July 12, 2025
NPP blamed for defeat in Ablekuma North rerun
General News

Basintale Criticizes NPP’s Poor Strategy In Ablekuma North 

July 12, 2025
Kow Abaka Essuman, Violence, President
General News

Ayawaso Lessons Resurface Amid Fresh Concerns Over Political Violence

by Silas Kafui AssemJuly 13, 2025
Ablekuma North rerun raises questions on anti-vigilante laws
General News

Aboagye Faults Anti-Vigilante Law Post Ablekuma North Rerun Violence

by Lilian AhedorJuly 13, 2025
AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey
Entertainment

AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey

by Esther Korantemaa OffeiJuly 12, 2025
IMF Team to Arrive in Ghana for Talks on Economy and 2025 Budget
Economy

IMF Flags Ghana as High Risk for Debt Distress Despite Debt Being “Sustainable”

by Stephen M.CJuly 12, 2025
Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference
Africa

Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference

by Lawrence AnkutseJuly 12, 2025
NPP blamed for defeat in Ablekuma North rerun
General News

Basintale Criticizes NPP’s Poor Strategy In Ablekuma North 

by Lilian AhedorJuly 12, 2025
Kow Abaka Essuman, Violence, President
Ablekuma North rerun raises questions on anti-vigilante laws
AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey
IMF Team to Arrive in Ghana for Talks on Economy and 2025 Budget
Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference
NPP blamed for defeat in Ablekuma North rerun
[/vc_row_inner]

Recent News

  • Ayawaso Lessons Resurface Amid Fresh Concerns Over Political Violence
  • Aboagye Faults Anti-Vigilante Law Post Ablekuma North Rerun Violence
  • AratheJay Opens Up About His Music Journey
  • IMF Flags Ghana as High Risk for Debt Distress Despite Debt Being “Sustainable”
  • Sudan Urges ICC Probe Into Foreign Interference
The Vaultz News

Copyright © 2021 The Vaultz News. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Top Stories
  • News
    • General News
    • Education
    • Health
    • Opinions
  • Economics
    • Economy
    • Finance
      • Banking
      • Insurance
      • Pension
    • Securities/Markets
  • Business
    • Agribusiness
    • Vaultz Business
    • Extractives/Energy
    • Real Estate
  • World
    • Africa
    • America
    • Europe
    • UK
    • USA
    • Asia
    • Around the Globe
  • Innovation
    • Technology
    • Wheels
  • Entertainment
  • 20MOBPL2D
  • Jobs & Scholarships
    • Job Vacancies
    • Scholarships

Copyright © 2021 The Vaultz News. All rights reserved.