The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published a new report on Tuesday 31 January in which it warns of the trafficking of medical products in countries in the Sahel, stressing that up to 50% of drugs sold in the market are falsified or of lower quality than the international standard.
“Although there are no reliable data on all the quantities trafficked in various forms and routes in the countries of the Sahel, studies indicate a percentage of substandard or falsified medicines on the market ranging from 19 to 50%,” the document states.
The report notes that « the high prevalence of infectious diseases such as malaria and the challenges in terms of availability and access to health care create an environment in which the demand for medical products and services is not fully met through formal circuits.
The indexed drugs come from Europe, even from China and India. The UNODC points the finger, among others, at employees of pharmaceutical companies and security guards who maintain this trade. Armed groups would be less involved.
Five countries are particularly affected by this traffic, notably Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1032 of 01/02/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
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