The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey, recently arrested a herbalist who was allegedly producing herbal products at Susuanso, near the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, without a certified license.
Giving more details to the media after the arrest of the suspect, Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey explained that the arrest was made during one of the authority’s routine checks together with the police to flush out miscreants.
He explained further that the arrest was done through the usual surveillance by the residents who tipped off the authority and the police, adding that his outfit was on the grounds to ensure that only the right drugs were displayed and sold to the public.
According to him, products that are not registered with the authority and without market authorisation were not supposed to be on the market, because such medicinal products could be dangerous to society, hence, the need for all herbal products to go through the necessary approval and certification processes.
The Chronicle finds this initiative by the authority worthy of praise, especially at this time when the various markets have been arguably taken over by people who sell all kinds of herbal medicines without the requisite certification.
In principle, The Chronicle is not against the sale or the use of traditional herbal medicines, but what is of prime concern to us is the illegal means through which people sell all forms of unapproved herbal drugs to the public.
The paper is alarmed by this development and is, therefore, calling for the intensification of routine operations by the FDA to flush out those who have taken undue advantage of the masses’ love for traditional medicine, because of historical, traditional beliefs and factors to allegedly prepare all manner of “concoctions” and sell under the guise of herbal medicine.
We are calling on the FDA to stamp its authority and nip this dangerous situation, which is gradually gaining roots in the bud, because undoubtedly, unapproved and uncertified herbal medicines, like any other drugs, could endanger the health of the consumers.
We expect a sustained advocacy by the FDA, unannounced checks and other stringent measures to stem the tide. This must be vigorously pursued by the FDA to ensure the safety and healthcare of the consumers and lovers of traditional herbal medicines.
Having said this, the paper would also like to draw the attention of the FDA to examine its operations and activities to understand why some producers of herbal medicines would always want to operate without the requisite certifications and license from the authority.
While we cannot rule out the possibility that most of these producers are fake and, therefore, try to cut corners, hence their resolve to swindle the unsuspecting public.
The Chronicle is, therefore, appealing to the FDA and other sister agencies which matter to as a matter of fact constantly educate the producers and the general public.
This, we believe, would go a long way to engender a new sense of awakening in the general public and the producers in particular, about the dangers involved in producing and selling unapproved herbal medicines or any other drugs in the country.
This way, we still want to believe that it would at least inform the users and other persons who patronage these herbal medicines and products to become self-conscious all the time and at least be on the lookout for only the approved drugs.
The use of herbal or traditional medicines to cure all forms of diseases have been part of the very existence of all Ghanaians as a people, but the recent development where some unscrupulous individuals have invaded the mainstream traditional medicine production, must be regulated.
