24Hour News Online Truth, Timely and Trusted
Keta, Oct. 7, 24HourNews – At the bustling markets of Keta, Anloga, Akatsi, Agbozume, Aflao and Ho, and along the busy Aflao-Accra highway through Dzodze, Denu and Dabala, hawkers are selling more than fish, cloth and foodstuffs.
A Ghana News Agency feature by Evans Worlanyo Ameamu has revealed a growing trade in medicines on the streets and in market centres across the Volta Region, a trade that health authorities describe as risky and dangerous.
According to the report, unapproved medicines, painkillers, antibiotics, herbal mixtures and aphrodisiacs are openly displayed on tables, in vehicles and carried on the head, with sellers making bold claims of curing various ailments.
The hawkers, who are mobile and operate without any regulation, are said to blend easily into busy commercial spaces and reappear even after crackdowns by the Food and Drugs Authority, FDA.
The FDA has repeatedly warned that such medicines are not tested, not stored properly and could be fake, expired or repackaged orthodox drugs being sold as herbal products.
Health experts note that buying medicine from the street is a risky gamble that could lead to drug resistance, treatment failure, organ damage and even death.
The report calls for stronger and more consistent enforcement, with real consequences for those found selling medicines illegally, while also addressing why many people rely on these sellers in the first place.
Access to affordable and timely healthcare, particularly for those in the informal sector, remains a challenge and pushes many to cheap street medicines.
Public education has also been highlighted as key, to ensure residents understand the dangers of patronising street drug peddlers and instead seek care from hospitals, accredited pharmacies and licensed over-the-counter medicine sellers.
The GNA feature urges all stakeholders to act now, noting that streets are not pharmacies and the health of the public should never be left to chance.