Latest news with #KwabenaMintahAkandoh
BBC News
26-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ghana authorities suspend Aveo pharmaceuticals certificate to export products afta BBC Africa Eye opioid revelation
Days afta di BBC Africa eye don publish di latest exposé about one pharmaceutical company for India wey don dey produce unlicensed, highly addictive opioids for export to West Africa kontris like Ghana, Nigeria and Cote D'ivoire, Ghana authorise don react. Di kontri ministry of health say dem take some steps to deal wit di opioid crisis even bifor di documentary. But dem admit say di measures dem bin use neva deal wit di mata - wey be say dis Aveo pharma company wey base for Mumbai, continue to dey make different pills under different brand names - wia dem package am like legit medicine. Dis medicine contain harmful mixture if tapentadol wey be one powerful opioid, carisopodol - one muscle relaxant wey be addictive among odas, wey Europe don ban dem. Dis kind conjunction of medicine no dey licensed for use anywhere for Di world wia e fit to cause breathing wahala and seizures. If pesin overdose on dis kind medicine, dem fit die. But despite dis dangers, di opioids dey for streets for many west African kontris sake if dem dey cheap wia dem dey widely available. Di BBC don find plenti packets of dis kind medicine wit di Aveo logo wia dem dey sell on top streets for Ghana, Nigeria and Cote D'ivoire. Na so di minister of health for Ghana don appear for parliament to brief di house of legislature, wetin dem dey do about di crisis. On Tuesday 25 February, di minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh don tok lawmakers say since di BBC Africa eye investigations don comot, di ministry don take some actions. Di food and drugs authority (FDA) react Di kontri food and drugs authority (FDA) tok say we neva "register tapentadol or carisoprodol as single-ingredient-products, wia we neva approve tradafol, wey be fixed-dose combination of both substances for any medical condition." Dem add say during di BBC Africa eye investigations dem contact di FDA wia dem confam say dis drugs neva dey approved wia e be illegal to import dem to Ghana. Di FDA say "we don take action - we don fine pipo; we dey seize illicit drugs wey we dey destroy dem. We sabi di effect of dis kind drugs for di human body na so we don dey try to stop dem to dey enta di kontri." As for Samos Pharam wey di documentary bin mention - "we sabi dem as company wey register to dey import injections and eye drops wia companies FDA inspect for India don dey produce." "But dis companies wey dey India wey dey produce dia injections and eye drops, Aveo neva dey part of dem. But records don dey show say from 2022 to 2023, one company - westfin international private limited and Aveo pharmaceuticals bin export injections and eye drops to Samos pharma." Di FDA explain say "na so we don grant wetin we call good manufacturing practices certificate to di company for September 2024 afta we bin inspect dia facility in April 2024. At di time, di company dey in di process to dey manufacture for one company Masters pharmaceuticals wey dey Kumasi - di company bin apply to register six products. But afta dis BBC investigation about Aveo pharma wey dey involve for illegal manufacturing and distribution of opioids, di "FDA don direct Samos pharma say make dem stop to dey use westfin international and Aveo as exporters." "We also bin suspend di processing of masters pharmaceuticals dia application to use Aveo as contract manufacturer wit immediate effect, wia we also don suspend Aveo pharmaceuticals dia good manufacturing practice (GMP) certificate." Wetin di health ministry do afta di Exposé Di minister tok say afta di BBC revelations of Aveo pharma and westfin international dia involvement for di illegal distribution of dis opioids, di ministry don collaborate wit regulatory and oda security agencies to take action. Oga Kwabena Mintah Akandoh tok say dem bin form joint taskforce wia involve di FDA, narcotics control commission, customs and di Ghana revenue authority, wey don "intensify checks for di major entry points to check for dis unauthorised imports wia don already lead to destruction of plenty consignment of trafadol and oda similar products." Im also explain say "goment don intensify inspection for di entry points, seize plenty opioids - wia we bin dey take action against offenders." For di house of parliament, many lawmakers also bin contribute to di debate about dia opioid crisis - one MP, Dr Zanetor Rawlings tok say im constituency gat plenty young pipo wia don turn drug addicts wit dis kind medicines. "I gat ogbonge addiction wahala for my area wia many young pipo wia be addicted to dis drugs bin attack some basic schools, dia teachers and students wey dem dey use di premises as dia base to dey take dis medicines." She add say "for one incident, di addicts don attach some community members wia one pesin dey coma for hospital, na so we gat to take action against dis drugs." But di health ministry tok say "we don launch wetin we call national education campaign about di illicit opioids and to tok di youth say na dangerous tin." Di health minister tok say dis na some of di oda tins dem go do to address di mata Di ministry go collaborate wit di relevant bodies: - To strengthen market surveillance and compliance monitoring - To strengthen import controls and licensing - To enhance di law enforcement and collaboration between agencies - To strengthen international collaboration
Zawya
25-02-2025
- Health
- Zawya
World Health Organization (WHO) Provides Urgent Medical Support to Ghana to Combat Meningitis Outbreak
Ghana is experiencing a worsening bacterial meningitis outbreak in the Upper West Region, straining the country's healthcare system as cases continue to climb. With limited resources and rising fatalities, health authorities are racing against time to contain the disease and provide critical treatment to those affected. In response to the escalating crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stepped in to provide much-needed technical and logistical support. As cases increased from 42 to 60, with 14 reported deaths, WHO donated 10,600 vials of Ceftriaxone, a potent antibiotic used in meningitis treatment. The donation, valued at approximately $23,000, was officially received by the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, at a brief ceremony in Accra. The Minister immediately handed over the vials to the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, for swift deployment to affected communities. Speaking at the handing over of the items, Dr. Frank Lule, Officer in Charge of WHO Ghana, reaffirmed WHO's commitment to Ghana's health systems. He said, 'This donation is another testament to WHO's commitment to strengthening Ghana's health systems. If additional vials are needed, we will be here to provide more support.' Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, emphasized the importance of WHO's support, saying: 'We are currently managing several outbreaks, and this timely donation is crucial. I'm about to brief Ghana's Parliament on our response and will highlight WHO's support.' In addition to medical supplies, WHO has dispatched Dr. Nicolō Binello, a Technical Officer specializing in Meningitis and Epidemic Bacterial Diseases from its headquarters in Geneva. Dr. Binello will work closely with national and local health authorities to strengthen clinical care and response strategies, ensuring effective treatment for patients and mitigating further spread of the disease. Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Director-General of Ghana Health Service, assured that the donation would be put to immediate use. 'This donation will go directly to the affected areas. WHO has also deployed a technical officer to support Ghana's meningitis response. We are truly grateful', he said. As part of its response, the Ghana Health Service has intensified public education campaigns, urging citizens to seek medical care at the earliest signs of meningitis symptoms. Additionally, treatment for meningitis is being offered free of charge in all health facilities to eliminate financial barriers and reduce mortality rates. The ongoing collaboration between WHO, Ghanaian health authorities, and local communities highlights a unified commitment to addressing the meningitis outbreak. Through strategic interventions, expert deployment, and resource mobilization, efforts are being intensified to curb the disease and safeguard public health. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
