FDB suspends operations at Se Menhyia Herbal Centre at Kasoa

Accra, Aug. 13, GNA - The management of Food and Drugs Board (FDB), has ordered the immediate suspension of drug production activities at the facilities of SE MENHYIA HERBAL CENTRE at Kasoa, in the Central Region.

The centre produces and dispenses herbal concoctions claimed to be for the treatment of Asthma, Gonorrhoea, Hypertension, Fibroid, Diabetes and other diseases.

A statement issued in Accra on Friday and signed by Dr Stephen K. Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of FDB said the production facility at the centre had not been licensed by FDB for such an activity.

It said none of the 24 different herbal products being produced and used on patients at the clinic had been certified by FDB, therefore their quality, safety and efficacy could not be guaranteed.

It therefore cautioned the public that it had neither licensed the facilities for the production of any herbal medicine nor registered any medicine being used at SE MENHYIA HERBAL Clinic.

The statement reiterated that 93No person shall manufacture, prepare, sell, supply, export or import into Ghana any drug, cosmetic, medical device or household chemical, unless the article has been registered with the Food and Drugs Board."

In addition 93No person shall advertise any drug, cosmetics, medical device or household chemical to the public as a treatment, preventive or cure for any of the diseases, disorders or abnormal physical states specified by law".

These include Sexually Transmitted Diseases, other forms of genito-urinary diseases, AIDS, diseases connected with the human reproductive functions.

Others are cancers, diabetes, epilepsy, goitre, heart diseases, hernia, leprosy, pneumonia, tetanus, tuberculosis, smallpox and others.

The statement said despite this provision of the law, the proprietress of SE MENHYIA HERBAL CENTRE had been advertising the cure for such diseases on television and radio, and in violation of the law, proprietress of the centre had been handed over to the Ghana Police for further investigations.

The management of FDB advised the public to seek proper medical attention at approved health facilities, and assured the public that it would continue to endeavour to prosecute its mandate to protect public health and safety at all times.