Public Health: No Hidout For Unlawful Drug Dealers
Dealers in prohibited drugs in the Bamenda II area of the North West Region of Cameroon are in to seroius trouble as their activities are being watched from all angles.
A Task Force has also been created to give dealers in fake and expired drugs a bloody nose and safe the population from any harm.
In one of its outings, the team led by Nicolas Nkongho Manchang Divisional Officer, D.O of Bamenda II was able to impound a good quantity of these products he describes as slow poison.
Worth about FCFA 10 Million, the confiscated and illicit medications were set ablaze around the D.O's office recently.
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| Consignment Of Seized Drugs Going Up In Flames |
As pointed out by Manchang, the reason behind the move which he says will continue is to protect the population against harmful products which have inundated the markets,
We notice that fake and expired drugs alongside other harmful ones like tramadole are being sold in our markets. we proceeded to create a task force to fight these activities and after a supprised visit to some of these dealers, we were able to seize a huge consignment of the harmful products, he said
The Divisional officer added that the commercialization of medication is regulated by law.
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| Bamenda II D. O, Nicolas Nkongho Manchang |
He castigated those he says have embraced the black market business for illegitimate medicine which are being stored under unhealthy conditions thereby creating a lot of disorder in the health sector.
The expertise of members of the task force helped us arrived at the conclusion that the drugs were injurious to the human body reason why, the culprits have seen their businesses cealed,Manchang pointed out.
On his part, the District Medical Officer, (DMO) for Bamenda II, Dr. Nsoh G.Fomeh counseled the population on the menace of automedication,
We understrand that most of these drugs when expired are perilous to the human system. They can affect the intestinal system, the liver and kidney leading to kidney failure. We have also noticed an increased in the number of persons conculting for the above mentioned health issues and we think the consumption of fake and expired drugs alongside traditional concoctions is responsible.
He also invited the population to seek medical attention in the recognised health institutions when ever they fall sick and if prescribed any medicine, they should only get them from accredited pharmacies and not at the Bamenda Main Market where he says fake and expired drugs are marketed.
Health facilities were also called opon to get their drugs solely from the North West Regionl Fund for Health Promotion. In case the medicines are not there, Dr. Nsoh says they can get them from other ascribed sources.
Buri Beri is one amongst the hundreds who have been practicing auto medication. She says things are actually difficult reason why they go to street vendors to get medications sometimes being directed by health officials,
Do i really have a choice? Tifuh asked and furthers that times are hard and we can only do with what we have. Some of these quarter medicine stores are owned by medical doctors. I was one time directed to a local drug vendor by a medical doctor working with a health facility in Bamenda .They are the same people patronising the business. They don't really say what they belief in.
We were unable to get one of the drug vendors at the Bamenda Main Market talk to us.
With the fight against expired and forged drugs in Bamenda II intensifying by the day, there are hopes that the Sub Division will be free from the commercialisation of the products in the nearest future.
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