KEY POINTS
- Ghana opioid misuse is rapidly rising.
- Ghana opioid misuse threatens public health.
- Ghana opioid misuse driven by illegal supplies.
Ghana faces mounting risks from opioid misuse as the highly addictive drugs spread beyond medical use, according to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
Opioids’ dual role in healthcare and abuse
Dr. Allotey-Pappoe, Head of the FDA’s Substances of Abuse Department, told participants on Ghana’s opioid crisis that opioids remain crucial for treating moderate to severe pain but are also driving a public health challenge.
“When we talk about opioids, we are talking about a class of drugs that come from the poppy plant. We have those that are naturally obtained, such as heroin and morphine, and others that are synthetically derived, like tramadol, tapentadol, and fentanyl,” she explained.
Addiction risks driving crisis
She noted that opioids’ psychoactive properties trigger endorphins, producing feelings of euphoria and making them highly addictive. She warned, “People get hooked this way. Responsible clinicians never prescribe opioids for long-term use because they know the risks of dependence.”
Regulatory controls and illegal entry
She said Ghana only permits tramadol in 50mg and 100mg doses, banned codeine-based cough syrups in 2019 after widespread misuse, and has not approved tapentadol — a synthetic opioid now entering the market for medical use or treatment guidelines.
“Any tapentadol you see on the market is unregistered and therefore illegal,” Dr. Allotey-Pappoe cautioned.
