By Lansana Fofana
FREETOWN, Feb 25 2004 (IPS)

Authorities in Sierra Leone have started a campaign to rid the country of its so-called “pepper doctors”: people who practice medicine under false pretences.

The pharmacy board recently joined forces with police to raid the premises of suspected pepper doctors in the capital – Freetown – and elsewhere. More than 25 were taken into custody and charged.

Officials of the board say these raids will ultimately be extended to provincial districts, where the fraudulent medics do a particularly brisk trade.

“Their business strategy is one that takes advantage of the illiteracy of the vulnerable population and their grinding poverty,” says Ebie Cole, a student at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences at the University of Sierra Leone, in Freetown

As the West African country was engaged in civil war for most of the 1990’s, little attention was paid to monitoring the activities of these criminals.

“We don’t have records of that, but do know that…many people may have died through the unprofessional practices of these quacks,” notes an official at the Ministry of Health.

But, the pepper doctors themselves were unrepentant when questioned by IPS.

Musa Conteh, a man in his 40’s who lives in the northern town of Makeni, says he has 10 children and an extended family to look after. “I ply this trade just to sustain my family,” he says, adding: “What else could I do?”

Sorie Kanu from Kamasilkie – also in the north – adds, “We don’t have medical facilities here. I am simply helping my people.”

“Since I started doing this business, no one has died nor (been) incapacitated because of my medication.”

Other pepper doctors don’t stop at dispensing pills, however. Some admit patients into makeshift hospitals, administer injections and drips – and even perform operations.

In a related initiative, the pharmacy board is also acting against the trade in fake drugs.

“We will never relent in the fight against the issue of expired, counterfeit, fake and sub-standard drugs,” says Michael Jack Lansana, Registrar of the board. In a recent case, drugs worth more than 20,000 dollars were destroyed.

“Business people are always manufacturing strategies to outsmart the board, but we’ll continue to crack down on those people who flood the markets with fake and sub-standard drugs – and endanger the lives of the people,” Lansana added.

Excerpt: