When Gbolu, 54, fell ill with tuberculosis, she faced a hefty bill of 18,000 Liberian dollars ($90) to obtain the necessary medication.
Unknown to her, the treatment was meant to be provided free of charge, having been donated by USAID.
Unfortunately, Gbolu’s experience is far from isolated.
USAID’s recent investigation has uncovered that a whopping 90% of pharmacies across Liberia are engaged in the illicit trade of stolen medicines, medications originally earmarked for those in need.
This brings to mind: Why are these life-saving drugs, meant to be distributed at no cost, winding up for sale in Liberian pharmacies? And just how widespread is this issue across the African continent?
Liberia, like many other African nations, relies heavily on donated medications from international organizations such as The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
However, despite these efforts, Africa continues to bear the brunt of global health crises, with the World Health Organization reporting that the continent accounts for 94% of malaria cases worldwide and witnessed over 400,000 tuberculosis-related deaths in 2022 alone.
USAID’s findings shed light on a deeply concerning reality about the rampant illegal trade of essential medicines across Liberia.
The question now looms large—how extensive is this problem beyond Liberia’s borders, and what measures can be taken to address it on a continental scale?
Credit: BBC Africa
