However, the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone says initial investigation so far indicates that no such medicine is present in the market.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday 21st February, 2019, Mr. James Kommeh, Acting Registrar of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone, which regulates pharmaceutical products in the country, said that this particular medicine (Menthodex cough syrup) being circulated on social media as a rogue drug was actually made for Nigeria and not for Sierra Leone. He added that investigations are ongoing.
“We have alerted our inspectors at the provinces, and those at the border posts and even in Freetown to be vigilant and on the lookout for this rogue cough syrup,” Mr. Kommeh told journalists.
He added: “Anyone who has information about the presence of this medicine in Sierra Leone should inform the Board for appropriate action.”
It should be noted that Menthodex is manufactured by Bells Sons & Co (Druggist) Limited in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, in Sierra Leone a registered India-based company called Balani and Sons is the sole importing agent of the product. The UK-based producer for the medicine, Mr. Kommeh said, has admitted making a mistake in that particular batch.
The issue has, however raised serious concern elsewhere in West Africa. The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Ghana is reported to have initiated an investigation into the issue, even though it said that initial investigation showed that the wrong dated medicine is not in its (Ghana’s) market. The same was said by Mr. Kommeh of PBSL.
