New research has revealed that one-fifth of medicines in Africa are substandard or fake, contributing to nearly 500,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa.
A comprehensive study conducted by Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia examined 27 studies and found that 1,639 out of 7,508 medicine samples failed quality tests, confirming them as substandard or falsified. This alarming finding underscores a significant public health crisis in the region, where access to genuine, effective medicines is crucial for patient survival and overall health outcomes.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that falsified and substandard medicines are responsible for up to 500,000 deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, substandard antimalarial medicines are linked to 267,000 deaths annually, while falsified antibiotics contribute to 169,271 deaths from severe pneumonia in children. These figures highlight the deadly impact of counterfeit medications on vulnerable populations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies antibiotics and antimalarial drugs as the most commonly falsified medicines in Africa. Substandard antibiotics can contain incorrect dosages or wrong active ingredients, leading to ineffective treatments and increased antimicrobial resistance. The prevalence of these dangerous products is exacerbated by complex, inefficient, and fragmented pharmaceutical supply chains in low- and middle-income countries.
Claudia Martínez, head of research at the Access to Medicine Foundation, emphasized the need for immediate action from governments, national authorities, and pharmaceutical companies to address this crisis. Strengthening supply chains, enhancing infrastructure, improving logistics, and implementing better surveillance-monitoring systems are essential steps to prevent the distribution of substandard and falsified medicines.
The UNODC report highlights the economic toll of these counterfeit products, with costs associated with treating malaria patients using fake medicines ranging from $12 million to $44.7 million annually. Moreover, international operations have seized over 605 tons of medical products in West Africa between 2017 and 2021, revealing the scale of this illicit trade.
The African Union’s African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization initiative, established in 2009, aims to improve access to safe and affordable medicine across the continent. Additionally, most Sahel countries have ratified a treaty to establish the African Medicines Agency, reflecting a concerted effort to combat the proliferation of fake medicines.
Despite these initiatives, the challenge remains significant. Various actors, including pharmaceutical company employees, public officials, law enforcement officers, and street vendors, are implicated in the illicit trade of medical products. Addressing this multifaceted issue requires a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to prevent, detect, and respond to substandard and falsified medicines.
