A new study has revealed that one in five medicines in Africa may be substandard or fake, contributing to as many as 500,000 deaths annually in sub-Saharan Africa.
Researchers from Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia reviewed 27 studies and found that of 7,508 medicine samples, 1,639 failed quality tests.
Claudia Martínez from the Access to Medicine Foundation highlighted the public health threat, noting that ineffective treatments can result in preventable deaths.
Antibiotics and antimalarials are the most commonly falsified drugs, potentially fueling antimicrobial resistance.
Malawi was identified as having the highest proportion of substandard medicines.
The findings emphasize the need for improved supply chain management and regulatory oversight across the continent.
