COUNTERFEIT MEDICATIONS

COUNTERFEIT MEDICATIONS IN

HARGEISA

The Effect of Counterfeit Medications on Health in Hargeisa

Nimo A. Awale

Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Edna Adan University

This assignment is submitted to fulfill a research topic and to evaluate the effect of counterfeit

medications on health in Hargeisa.

December 26, 2022

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Counterfeit medications and fake drugs is an infinite and underreported problem,

particularly affecting poorer countries including Somaliland. It is an important cause of

morbidity, mortality, and loss of public confidence in medicines and health structures. The

prevalence of counterfeit drugs appears to be and has not been opposed by close cooperation

between drug importers, governments, or international organizations concerned with trade,

health, customs and excise, and counterfeiting.

Patients can experience a variety of problems from the use of counterfeit drugs. The various

scenarios depend on the ingredients that make up the counterfeit drug. The first scenario is a

counterfeit drug that contains no active ingredient or no harmful ingredients. In the case of

the counterfeit drug that has no active ingredient, the drug fails to help the patient get better,

which can ultimately harm the patient. In the case of antibiotics, for example, this can

promote antibiotic resistance and the use of stronger antibiotics, because physicians would

believe that the first-line drug was not working, not knowing that the patient had been taking

a counterfeit drug.
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