Illegal Drug Sales Soar in East New Britain Province: Authorities Take Action
Authorities in East New Britain Province have taken action against the alarming increase in illegal drug sales. In response to the rising trend of unauthorized sellers peddling medicines, the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority initiated an awareness program. The program was carried out simultaneously in all four districts of the province and led by district health coordinators, with support from environmental health officers.
Leo Kume, the provincial pharmaceutical inspector, stated that each district will present a report based on their respective awareness campaigns, which included inspection exercises in shops and hotspot areas where the illicit drug sales were prevalent. As a result of these efforts, two street vendors were charged in Kokopo, and two others were apprehended in Rabaul. A potential culprit in Kerevat managed to evade interrogation and escape.
Reports of medical drugs ending up on the streets have surfaced, indicating the possibility of a warehouse supplying prescription-only and pharmacy-only medicines to street vendors. The authorities are diligently working to track down the source of these illegal sales within the towns of the province. In the course of inspections, unlicensed shops found selling unauthorized items such as baby formula, vapor rubs, and sanitizers were ordered to seek licenses from the National Department of Health.
Mr. Kume emphasized that only specific pharmacies with import and retail licenses are authorized to sell medical drugs within town limits. The awareness campaign proved to be fruitful in the effort to curb the sale of drugs on the streets, prompting several street vendors to cease their operations.
By adhering to the guidelines set forth by the authorities and focusing on raising awareness and cracking down on illegal drug sales, East New Britain Province is taking a proactive stance in combatting this issue. The efforts made by the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority aim to protect the health and well-being of the community and ensure that medical drugs are safely and lawfully obtained from authorized sources.
