Peki (V/R),- The Volta Regional Directorate of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has arrested a 77-year-old man for posing as a medical doctor at Peki in the South Dayi District of the Volta region.
The suspect, Harrison Amoatwor was picked up by officials of the Authority in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command at Peki on November 8, this year.
Mr Gordon Akurugu, Volta Regional Director of the FDA at a press conference, said the Directorate received information about the activities of the suspect at Peki and its environs and alerted the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command.
He said an investigation conducted by the Police led to the arrest of the suspect at about 2200 hours and currently in police custody pending further investigations and prosecution.
Mr Akurugu said the activities of the suspect contravened the provisions of the Public Health Act 2012, as the suspect was not licensed to operate a health facility or produce drugs.
Some items retrieved from the suspect during the operation included Rapha capsules, Rapha pills, Rapha ointment, Rapha powder, Rapha BP/ Asthma killer, Rapha Hepatitis killer, Rapha diabetes killer.
The rest are: Rapha infection killer, Rapha fibroid expeller, price list, diary, birth record, BP monitor, black cobra tabs, unlabeled ointment, and unlabeled powder.
The Director said a fake documents retrieved from the suspect detailing his professional profile during the arrest, indicated that the suspect was born on July 11, 1944 at Dambai, in the Oti region and he is currently the Director of Jehovah Rapha Medical Centre at Koforidua in the Eastern region.
According to the document, the suspect attended Dambai Teacher Training College, had his medical education at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and then proceeded to Spain for further studies in medicine and pharmacology and had his National Service at La Poly Clinic and was employed after the service.
The document said the suspect was first posted to Assin Fosu Government Hospital in the Central region, and later transferred to Takoradi and to Koforidua, and eventually retired with the Oda Government Hospital.
Mr Akurugu said during interrogation, the suspect confessed that the document was fake and that he did not have such professional medical training.
He said the FDA was doing its best, to ensure that public health and safety are not compromised by these quacks in the system.
Mr Akurugu urged the public to be cautious of their lives and avoid buying medicine from people who walked to them with drugs or items for treatment and diagnosis.
He commended the Regional Police Command for their support, indicating that his outfit would continue to collaborate with them to deal with such quacks around
Source: Ghana News Agency
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