Stop Buying Drugs In Trotro And Markets – Pharmacist Admonished Public

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The Eastern Regional Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH-ER) has marked the celebration of World Pharmacist Day with donation of food items other consumables and drugs to the Koforidua medium Prisons in the new Juabeng North Municipality.

The Chairman for the Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH-ER), Pharm George Attara- Boye has advised the public to stop from buying drugs in commercial vehicles or TroTro, markets and community centres.

He lamented that drug peddling and sale of unapproved drugs have gained prominence because Ghanaians have taken keen interest in drugs sold in vehicles from untrained persons, unlike pharmacists who have obtained the necessary training help administer drugs to save lives.

The situation also leads to the excessive drug abuse among people these days in the country.

Speaking to Michael Akrofi during the donation of food items to the Koforidua Prisons to mark the World Pharmacist Day, Pharm. George Attara Boye said, most drugs sold in vehicles and other places other than pharmacies and registered chemical shops have not be tested and approved by authorities, but have found their place on the market and silently deteriorating the health of users who have no knowledge on them.

Pharm Boye appealed Government egencies responsible to control these menace especially Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to be very vigilant and clamp down on such unscrupulous perons to contain the already escalating situation across the country.

He again urged the FDA and the Police to prosecute persons who would be arrested to serve as deterrent to several others who have taken such trajectory to jeopardize the health of people without any remorse.

He explained that wrong administration of drugs and use of unapproved drugs are quick ways of taking human lives; hence, the control of such activities must be taken with all seriousness by all stakeholders.

He urged all pharmacists across the country especially, members of the PSGH-ER to be resolute and continue to offer the best of their trusted services to Ghanaians and help save lives.

The items worth GH¢ 8,000.00 donated by the PSGH-ER included “gallons of cooking oil, bags of rice, bags of gari, packs of toothbrush and toothpaste, packs of toiletries, bags of sachet water, boxes of mackerel, packs of soft drinks, and several boxes of drugs” to help maintain a proper healthcare of the inmates.

He appealed to government to work on the maintenance of the prison, as some portions on the prisons were not in the best of their conditions which contributes to the health damage of the inmates.

Receiving the items, the Deputy Commander of the Koforidua Prisons, Assistant Director of Prisons Christopher Hayibor expressed gratitude to the group for their gesture, and prayed for more assistance in the maintenance of the facility.

He appealed to corporate organisations and philanthropist to help fix the deplorable state of the former armoury that has been converted into prison.

He added that the resident facilities of the inmates experience leakages during down pours and had developed some Cracks in the beem posing Danger on the inmates.

“Some of the facilities are in a deplorable state, and It is a pitiful situations whenever it rains.

We have severally written to the headquarters about the situation, but the needed response is not forthcoming.

So we are appealing to corporate organisations and philanthropists to help keep the place in best of conditions,” he said when speaking to Michael Akrofi at the sideline of the donation.

By: Michael Akrofi