The Minister of Health, , has outlined measures taken by the government to address the inflow of opioid drugs into the country.
Delivering a statement on illegal opioids in on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, he stated that a taskforce had been formed to tighten surveillance to ensure that no harmful substances are allowed into the country. "A joint taskforce involving the FDA, the Narcotics Control Commission, Customs, and the Ghana Revenue Authority has intensified checks at major entry points to prevent further unauthorized imports, leading to the destruction of a large consignment of Tramadol and similar drugs," he stated.
He stressed the need for public awareness campaigns to be intensified. "A national education campaign has been launched to warn the public about the dangers of illicit opioid use and to encourage responsible medication practices," he stated.
Despite these efforts, he acknowledged ongoing challenges, pointing out specific weaknesses in enforcement. "We have noted the following challenges that impede an effective response and require urgent attention, unmanned borders allow for the illegal movement of opioids into Ghana, limited inspection capacity for transit goods destined for other countries enables unregistered drugs to leak into the Ghanaian market, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms between the FDA, Customs, and NACOB remain suboptimal," he noted.
