The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is warning
the general public, particularly hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and
other health facilities, about the presence of a fake anti-malarial
medicine on the Ghanaian market - Quinine Sulphate Tablets (300mg).
The medicine in question, according to the FDA, is imported and
distributed by St Kem Pharmaceuticals Limited, whose offices are located
at
Patasi, Kumasi (opposite the Police Depot) and at Achimota, Accra, (
1st Floor of Dokua Plaza) and has the following features:
Batch Number: 33587Q
Manufacturing Date: May, 2012
Expiry Date: May, 2015 Manufactured by: Biochemie GmbH, Vienna, Austria
According to the FDA, the product is packaged in a white plastic
container, containing 1000 tablets,
With the inscription 'ESSENTIAL
DRUGS PROGRAME' and the above mentioned information on the label.
It a statement dated November 30, 2013, signed by its Head of
Communications, James Lartey and released in Accra said "results of
laboratory analysis conducted on the product at the FDA Laboratory
showed that the Quinine Sulphate Tablet contains no active
pharmaceutical ingredient making it a complete counterfeit/fake
medicine." Quinine Sulphate tablet is used to treat severe and
complicated malaria.
The FDA said a total quantity of 64 containers of 1000 tablets each
(64,000 tablets) have been seized at the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital in
the Brong Ahafo Region and St Kem Pharmaceuticals Limited in Kumasi by
FDA officials during a post market surveillance activities.
It has in effect, urged hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other
facilities having stocks of the fake/counterfeit Quinine Tablets with
the above stated description to as a matter of urgency hand them over to
the nearest FDA office countrywide.
"The general public is entreated not to patronize the said product
and to report to the FDA anyone found selling them," warned the FDA.
The supplier of the product, the statement noted, has been invited by the security agencies to assist in investigations.
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