The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana has issued a stark warning about the alarming rise in liver-related illnesses across the country, driven in large part by the widespread abuse of drugs purchased from unlicensed chemical sellers.

With 2.8 million Ghanaians living with Hepatitis B, and 14,000 deaths recorded annually, the situation has reached critical levels. Reverend Dr. Dennis Sena Awitty, Executive Secretary of the society, attributes the worsening health crisis to the unregulated sale of alternative medicines, which often contain harmful substances.

“We will continue to lose thousands of lives if we don't address the root causes especially the unregulated manufacture and distribution of these drugs,” Dr. Awitty said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that liver diseases, particularly Hepatitis B, have become one of the leading causes of death in Ghana. This, in part, is attributed to people seeking unregulated and often counterfeit alternatives to standard treatments.

Dr. Amoako Duah, a gastroenterologist at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, is raising concerns about the skyrocketing costs of liver disease treatment. He has called on the government to include liver disease treatments under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure affordability for the masses.

“The financial burden of managing liver conditions is becoming unbearable for many Ghanaians, we need urgent action to make these life-saving treatments accessible to everyone,” Dr. Duah said.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana is also calling on the government to invest in local pharmaceutical production as a long-term solution to ensure safe, effective medication for the country’s citizens. They are urging Ghanaians to exercise extreme caution when purchasing medications, especially from unlicensed sellers, and to prioritize regulated, trusted sources.