Woman Caught Selling Unapproved Tramadol in Mankessim Market

The Pharmacy Council and Police at Mankessim in the Central Region have arrested a woman who sells prescription drug Tramadol on the open market.

The woman was arrested during an audit of pharmacies and market centres in the Region.

Many pharmacies were also cautioned to adhere strictly to instructions concerning the sale of the drug as their facilities risk closure by the Council.

The Council’s action is in response to what it says is the abuse of the medicine used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Tramadol, a restricted medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain, has become almost “a street drug” for the treatment of a normal pain like a headache, sometimes with approval from health practitioners.

Joy News’ correspondent Richard Kwadwo Nyarko who was travelling with the two agencies said the move was part of a wider campaign to clamp down on the abuse of Tramadol.

According to him, the unannounced operation started early Friday morning at the Mankessim market and the officers came across one woman who was selling drugs in a bowl.

A further search through her bowl showed that she was selling unapproved milligrams of Tramadol in large quantities.

Other women who were also selling the same drugs took their heels when they realized the police were questioning her and subsequently arrested her.

Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, Appiah Kwesi Baffour, who led the operation told Joy News “as a regulator we want to arrest the situation about the abuse of the drug.”

“We have been coming through pharmacies here and we are happy that they are stocking the approved 50mg Tramadol.”

The Mankessim Divisional Police Commander, Augustine Mensah is urging parents to check the activities of their children so they do not fall prey to the abuse of the drug.