AA / Nairobi / Andrew Wasike
A shocking report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned on Thursday that counterfeit medicines are linked to the deaths of nearly 500,000 people each year.
The latest UN assessment of the threat from transnational organized crime has warned that of the 500,000 deaths, up to 169,271 cases are linked to counterfeit or substandard antibiotics used to treat severe pneumonia in children.
In addition, 267,000 deaths per year are linked to counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs.
The report also highlights that between January 2017 and December 2021, more than 605 tonnes of medical supplies were seized in West Africa alone, following international counter-trafficking operations.
The UNODC study also indicated that a series of actors involved in the trafficking of illegal medical products have been discovered through its investigations. These include government officials, employees of pharmaceutical companies, law enforcement officers, health agencies and street vendors who all act as traffickers.
The report calls for the introduction and revision of laws in Africa to end all crimes related to drug trafficking, smuggling, money laundering and corruption.
* Translated from English by Mounir Bennour.
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