By Gibao Brima

 There is no doubt that the Sierra Leone Pharmacy Board is the regulatory body established by the government to approve drug in the country by determining its efficacy and sales as well as checking on imported drugs into the country. But sadly enough, much has not being done as expected by the wider populace in the country for so long a time.

In recent days, many people have perceived Pharmacy Board workers as seekers of personal interest to amass ill-begotten wealth at the detriment of the general public who pay them out of their tax monies. Regrettably, this ineptitude of the body that is mandated by government to effectively handle the growing menace has given the impetus to many lawless people to trample up the laws of drug sales and importation in the country with impunity.

This unfortunate situation has immensely contributed to the flooding in the country with many illegal pharmacies, drug stores and fake drugs by every Jack and Jill. Most of these so-called pharmacies do not have pharmacy technicians, requisite equipment or supervisors to oversee their activities rather one can see any local businessman dispensing drugs without having any knowledge of the drugs required to be given for a specific illness and this has resulted in exacerbating many sickness and untimely deaths of citizens in the country.

Unfortunately, the high level of illiterates in the country is another danger that is aggravating the catastrophe for these law defaulters to gamble the precious lives of our numerous illiterate people in the country.

The danger will continue when the quacks do not even know the chemistry of a patient as they are too careless about diagnostic result, from doctors to prove the sickness that is affecting the patient before administering a particular drug.

The most nauseating and crazier things these days are the rampant loud speakers held by drug peddlers masquerading the streets of Freetown in buses and district headquarter towns in the country.

Many concerned citizens in the country believe that, if nothing is done to salvage this dangerous situation within a very short time; the lives of our people will surely continue to go down the drain. And as the adage put, “healthy nationals will help a nation to develop”.  This justifies the fact that as a nation, nobody will do it for us except we stand as one to left our only mama Salon.