Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has sounded the alarm on the escalating opioid crisis, labeling it a national emergency that demands urgent, unified action.
Speaking about the influx of illegal opioids into Ghana, he underscored the growing misuse of Tramadol and the arrival of even stronger drugs like Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, which are slipping into the country through porous borders and being spread by criminal networks.
“Unregistered Tramadol brands such as Trafanol, Tarapamol, and Tramaking are entering Ghana via unauthorized channels, as confirmed by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA),” Akandoh explained. He pointed to a recent BBC Africa Eye investigation that uncovered how Aveo Pharmaceuticals, an Indian firm, and its distributor, Westfin International, have been flooding West Africa—including Ghana—with unapproved opioids. “These highly addictive substances, produced without permission, violate our regulations, and we need to clamp down on this immediately,” he urged.
The Minister outlined several measures already underway to tackle the crisis. Tramadol has been reclassified as a controlled substance, now available only with a prescription. Authorities have intercepted and destroyed significant shipments of illegal opioids at entry points, while six over-the-counter drug sellers in the Ahafo Region face trial for unlawful sales. Enhanced market monitoring has also led to the removal of unauthorized opioid products from circulation.
Akandoh shared details of major seizures, including a December 18, 2023, interception of a transit container carrying 181 cartons of Royal 225mg (Tapentadol + Carisoprodol), 51 cartons of Timaking 120mg, and 90 cartons of Tafradol 120mg, all destroyed on February 21, 2025. Another bust in May 2024 uncovered 376 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg concealed within laboratory coveralls, later destroyed under court supervision.
Following the BBC exposé, the Ministry has cut ties with Aveo Pharmaceuticals and Westfin International, ramped up border checks with a joint task force of the FDA, Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Customs, and the Ghana Revenue Authority, and cracked down on illegal over-the-counter sales with legal action. A nationwide campaign is also educating the public about the risks of opioid abuse.
Despite these efforts, Akandoh admitted that stopping the flow of illegal opioids remains a challenge. “We need better border security, improved coordination between agencies, and stronger oversight of markets,” he said.
To address this, the Ministry is pursuing new strategies: deeper collaboration with law enforcement, global partnerships to disrupt the illegal opioid trade, and tighter controls to keep transit goods from entering local markets.
The Minister called for a united front, involving the Ghana Police Service, Pharmacy Council, NACOC, National Security, and other key players. “This isn’t just a health problem—it’s a national crisis. We have to plug the gaps, enforce tougher rules, and ensure accountability,” he insisted.
Akandoh vowed that Ghana would not become a refuge for illicit opioids or a center for abuse and trafficking, reaffirming the government’s resolve to purge these drugs from the nation’s markets.
By Osumanu Al-Hassan/thenewsbulletin24.com