Indigenous Pharmaceutical Business Association petitions Kufuor

Accra, July 23, GNA - Members of the Indigenous Pharmaceutical Business Association have petitioned President John Agyekum Kufuor to intervene in curbing the systematic takeover of Ghana's domestic pharmaceutical distribution network by foreign companies. They complained about the massive invasion in recent times by foreign entities of the pharmaceutical industry and the gradual take-over of the sector.

The Association noted that if nothing was done immediately to deal with the situation, "it will not be long before the indigenous pharmaceutical business goes under".

Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President, in a signed press release, said the petition was presented to President Kufuor at the Castle, Osu on Tuesday.

The Acting President of the Association, Mr Ernest Bediako Sampong, was reported by the release as calling on the government to consider initiating legislation to limit direct marketing and distribution of pharmaceuticals to only Ghanaians. President Kufuor in response assured the association that the petition would be referred to the appropriate institutions for review and recommendations. The Government, he said, would do everything to protect indigenous Ghanaian businesses as it continued to provide investor-friendly environment for the participation of genuine foreign investors.