Chemical seller arrested over counterfeit malaria drug

Ho, June 23,GNA-The Volta and Eastern Zonal Office of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) on Wednesday caused the arrest of Williams Dagbui, an assistant shopkeeper of Narrow Chemical Store at Kpando for allegedly selling fake Artesunate tablets.

The FDB bought the drugs from the store during one of their periodic inspections in April this year.

Mr Roderick Daddey-Adjei, the Zonal Officer, told the GNA that laboratory tests indicated that the drug had no active pharmaceutical ingredients.

He said Mr Dagbui told officers of the Board that the drugs together with others were bought from a van on promotional sales but said he could not identify the van.

Mr Daddey-Adjei said the FDB would have Mr Dagbui prosecuted because his offence was life threatening.

"The act posed huge challenge to the supply change system and has put the safety of the public at risk because we have been advising them to buy from licensed pharmacies and chemical shops. We will flush out all counterfeit drugs and prosecute every offender",he assured.