The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has rescinded the GMP certification of Aveo Pharmaceuticals, an Indian drug manufacturer, over its alleged involvement in the unlawful distribution of opioid-based medications in West Africa.
This action follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation that uncovered how Aveo Pharmaceuticals, through Westfin International, was reportedly shipping unauthorized drugs containing tapentadol and carisoprodol to nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
These substances are classified as highly addictive and pose severe health hazards, including respiratory complications and potential fatal overdoses when misused.
In response to the findings, the FDA has instructed Samos Pharma, a pharmaceutical importer in Ghana, to immediately sever all ties with both Aveo Pharmaceuticals and Westfin International.
Furthermore, the approval process for six products linked to Masters Pharmaceutical Limited, which intended to source production from Aveo Pharmaceuticals, has been put on hold.
Reaffirming its resolve to combat opioid abuse, the FDA highlighted its ongoing regulatory measures, including drug seizures, financial penalties, and legal actions against illegal distributors.
The agency assured the public that it will persist in working alongside security agencies to curb the circulation of harmful pharmaceuticals.
This latest move strengthens Ghana’s regulatory enforcement against illicit drug trade while reinforcing measures to protect public safety.
A Ghanaian man has opened up about his dramatic fall from wealth and affluence into the abyss of poverty and drug addiction.
Preferring to remain anonymous, the man recounted his story during a recent radio interview, detailing how his life spiralled downward after an encounter with a drug dealer, he regarded as a friend.
The man, who once enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle complete with expensive cars and a high-profile marriage to a white woman, described how his fortunes took a severe downturn after relocating abroad.
His descent began in Ghana but worsened after he met a dealer he referred to as a “friend” in London.
This individual introduced him to a dangerous combination of cocaine and marijuana, which he was initially led to believe was just a potent form of marijuana.
“A friend in London laced my ‘weed’ with cocaine,” he revealed, explaining how the mix led him into a state of debilitating addiction.
Unable to go a day without the substance, he found himself increasingly dependent on the deadly drugs.
As his addiction deepened, the man lost everything he had worked for, including his wealth and status. Despite his academic achievements and previous success, he has become a mere shadow of his former self, struggling with poverty and substance abuse.
He notes that withdrawing from drugs has not been easy owing to the toll it has on one’s body and the mental health.
Bipolar disorder patient, Abena Korkor Addo has revealed that the effect of her current mental drug is worse than cocaine.
Speaking on the KSM show she indicated that anytime she takes the medicine, Lithium carbonate, makes her act unusual unlike her previous drugs.
She recalled an incident in a hospital where she destroyed air conditioners, broke louvers and cut herself as a result of the drug.
According to her, it took the intervention of TV3 to clear the damages she caused at the hospital.
“ Even with my medication now I am on Lithium carbonate, it is worse than cocaine. When I was in Abokobi, Dr Nfordjour brain and mind clinic, I destroyed ACs, I used my hands to break louvers, I was cutting myself. TV3 paid over 60,000 cedis. I don’t know if they have finished paying. When I am aware when I am creating damages. It’s nice,” she added.
In 2021, Abena Korkor was removed from her position as a host of the TV3 program, Ladies Circle show.
The decision came after she posted a semi-nude video of herself on the multimedia messaging app Snapchat, which quickly went viral.
Taking to social media, Abena Korkor announced the termination of her contract herself.
She stated that her employers had contacted her to inform her of their decision to remove her from the show, which she co-hosts with Anita Akuffo and other women.
According to Abena Korkor, the Media General group, which owns TV3, cited a recent video of her appearing nude, wearing only lingerie, as the reason for her termination.
She revealed that the show’s sponsors deemed the video to be negative publicity, and as a result, they did not want their brands associated with it, prompting her employers to take action.
As part of her announcement that she no longer works with TV3, Abena Korkor shared a snippet of the video on her Instagram reel.
Captioned that: “May I loose it all but not myself. I am no longer a TV presenter, in fact, I don’t fit the script and I don’t think I ever will.No one should tag any organization here.”
Ghanaian music icon Rex Omar has urged the public to show love and compassion towards individuals struggling with drug addiction.
He emphasized that stigmatizing them only hinders their path to recovery.
Speaking during a discussion on the documentary ‘Creative Addictions,’ produced by Kwame Dadzie and aired on JoyNews on April 2, 2024, Rex Omar stressed the importance of supporting those grappling with addiction rather than blaming or belittling them.
“I advise those who have not yet fallen victim to addiction to maintain a clean lifestyle. It’s possible to succeed and thrive without substances,” he remarked. “For those already struggling, we must extend a helping hand and not add to their feelings of inadequacy.”
Rex Omar highlighted factors such as shyness and societal pressure as contributing to drug use among creatives.
He mentioned that many artists, actors, and athletes turn to substances due to emotional sensitivity and the overwhelming expectations thrust upon them by society.
“Being in the limelight brings immense pressure, yet often the rewards may not match the expectations. This can lead to using substances as a coping mechanism,” he explained.
The renowned musician also addressed the role of managers and handlers in introducing drugs to industry professionals, cautioning against practices that exploit vulnerabilities for temporary confidence boosts.
He called on educational institutions and relevant authorities to intensify awareness campaigns about the dangers of drug addiction and provide adequate support systems for those in need.
The documentary ‘Creative Addictions’ delves into the personal journeys of creatives battling addiction and includes insights from psychiatric experts on effective interventions and support mechanisms.
Nearly five months after Arab nations offered an olive branch to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, there are signs that some of the initiative’s key architects may be increasingly skeptical about his commitment to the deal.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said this week that trafficking of the amphetamine Captagon from Syria to Jordan only increased after normalization talks led to Assad’s return to the Arab League. in May.
Syria was expelled from the Arab League in 2011, following a brutal regime crackdown on opposition forces seeking to overthrow Assad.
Jordan has been one of the biggest supporters of his rehabilitation, having been one of the main victims of Syria’s drug trade, but now feels the regime is unwilling or unable to calm down. suppress this trade.
“Jordan is fighting on the border to make sure drugs do not enter the country,” Al-Monitor quoted the king as saying last week. “Bashar (al-Assad) doesn’t want conflict with Jordan… I don’t know if he’s in complete control.”
One of the Arab states’ main demands of Syria in exchange for its recovery was that Assad help stop the trade in Captagon. Most of the global supply for the $57 billion Captagon industry is believed to come from Syria, with neighboring countries and the Gulf region being the main destinations.
This trade turned Syria into a narco-state that allowed the Assad regime to replenish its coffers after years of war and sanctions, and gave it enormous leverage over the neighboring countries and was partly responsible for bringing them to the negotiating table with Assad.
In another sign of Arab discontent with Assad, Saudi Arabia’s Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported this month that the Arab ministerial committee responsible for overseeing the normalization of Syria- The Arabs suspended meetings with Damascus due to lack of response to the developed roadmap. normalization of Arab-Syrian relations.
However, Arab League Deputy Secretary General Hossam Zaki denied this information. “They are not real,” Zaki told CNN on Friday.
Emile Hokayem, director of regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, said it was not surprising that Syria’s reintegration efforts were facing setbacks.
“Nothing significant was achieved while Assad achieved a symbolic victory that limited Arab participation for years to come,” Hokayem told CNN, adding that it was difficult to see how the May decision “could be overturned and how the stick could be used to force them to comply.” .
In an interview with Sky News Arabia last month, the Syrian leader sounded confident and said he would not rush to reconcile with his neighbors until they changed. He blamed the lack of progress in normalizing relations with Arab countries on poor Arab politics. Arabs, he said, were good at “optics” but not “execution.”
Assad said the drug trade had gotten worse after the war and therefore responsibility for Syria’s Captagon problem belonged to “the countries that contributed to the chaos in Syria, not not the Syrian state”. He added that it was Syria, not its Arab neighbors, that had offered to resolve the drug crisis because it was “win-win”.
Experts say that Syria’s recovery process has many shortcomings.
“The problem is that there really is no accountability mechanism for the normalization initiative,” said HA Hellyer, a researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“If Assad simply ignored the demands of the Arab countries, even though he initially appeared to take them seriously, there would be no process to punish him,” Hellyer told CNN. for any violation.” “It’s all quite ad hoc and arbitrary.”
According to Jordan, the Captagon trade is booming as smugglers use increasingly advanced technology to smuggle amphetamines out of Syria and into neighboring countries. “The Syrians have promised to cooperate with us to resolve this challenge, but the situation on the ground remains extremely difficult,” said Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi. “We are seeing an increase in activity and as a result we are doing what we need to do.”
Safadi describes the Captagon trafficking operation as a “highly organized operation” in which drug traffickers “have access to very advanced technology,” including drones and goggles night. For every two or three arrests, two or three more people cross the border, Safadi explained.
Jordan, which shares a 378 km border with Syria, views instability with its neighbor as detrimental to its national security.
Gulf states and Jordan regularly report drug seizures with large quantities of drugs found in everything from construction signs to baklava shipments. This month, the United Arab Emirates said it had foiled a plot to smuggle 13 tons of Captagon – worth more than $1 billion – hidden in a shipment of doors and building decorative panels. Jordanian armed forces regularly shoot down drones coming from Syria and carrying irritants.
Experts believe that the two parts of the Arab-Syrian normalization treaty did not meet people’s expectations. Assad may not have found a strong enough incentive to abandon his lucrative drug trade. And what he wants can be difficult to achieve. “What Assad has always wanted is not what the Arab countries can or will offer: unconditional political support, huge financial aid, as well as Arab pressure to lift Western sanctions,” Hokayem said.
Arab countries are now at risk of falling into a state of deadlock.
“Their mobility is limited,” Hokayem said. “Direct and direct coercion is not an option and some countries do not care enough to devote effort and political capital to Syria,” he said, adding that stubborn policies of Assad may even motivate “some countries.”
