Ghana plans to fight fake Ebola drugs

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana has put in place measures to fight the sale and distribution of fake Ebola drugs in Ghana, should the haemorrhagic disease find its way in the West African country.

The initiative, dubbed PREVENT, comes as Ghana prepares against the deadly Ebola virus.

The disease, which is already prevalent in Liberia, Sierra Leonne, Guinea and Nigeria, has killed over 1,200 people, since February this year.

The terrifying scale of the outbreak informed a decision by the World Health Organization to approve the use of untested drugs including the zMapp.

The WHO, according to a BBC report warned that where these experimental treatments are used, there must be informed consent from the patients, and the results of the treatment collected and shared.

Ghana's PREVENT initiative seeks to stop fake and counterfeit medicines from entering the country's drug supply chain.

PREVENT stands for ‘Patients’ Research Empowerment Vigilance and Education through New Technologies.

It will make use of technology put together with support from partners including Mpedigree Network, to empower patients and educate the public through social media and the Mpedigrees Goldkeys Platform.