Pharmacy proprietor held over fake drug

Page 24: Daily Graphic, November 27, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE proprietor of Dunia Pharmacy at Tudu in Accra has been arrested by the police for allegedly selling a fake suspension used for the treatment of worms in babies.
The suspect, Alhaji Sulemana Iddrisu, who is currently on police enquiry bail, claimed that he did not know the supplier of the Griseofulvin suspension, although he allegedly admitted buying them.
The police retrieved 29 bottles of the fake drug.
The Accra South District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nathan O. Papaye-Quaye, told the Daily Graphic that someone had gone to Dunia Pharmacy to buy the drug for his child but detected that the colour was dark green, while the suspension itself was very watery.
He said the producers of the drug, Midland Chemist Ltd, were contacted to verify its quality, since it bore the company’s label.
ASP Papaye-Quaye said the Chief Executive of Midland Chemists Ltd, Mr John Arthur, reported the matter to the police.
He said a worker at the Dunia Pharmacy led the police to arrest Iddrisu at his Kasoa residence, adding that the supervising pharmacist of the pharmacy, Ms Georgina Adzator, had so far failed to honour an invitation by the police.
He said the police had just received information that she was a member of staff of the 37 Military Hospital, noting that the police would write to the authorities of the hospital for her release to assist in investigations, since drug purchases were supposed to be done under the watch of the supervising pharmacist.
ASP Papaye-Quaye said the matter bordered on life and death.