A devastating new report has revealed that about 30 per cent of medicines circulating in Africa are falsified, with rates soaring to 60-80 per cent in conflict-affected regions.  

The study, “Securing the Medicine Distribution Network in Africa”, was conducted by CFAO Healthcare, a major pharmaceutical distributor, and the OPALS Foundation.

According to the World Health Organisation, falsified medicines are medical products whose identity, composition, or source is deliberately or fraudulently misrepresented.

The crisis affects all types of medications, from patented drugs to generics, vaccines, and medical devices.

“All medicines, both patented (princeps) and generics, as well as vaccines and medical devices, are impacted. The risks are both individual and collective,” said Ken Accajou, CFAO Healthcare Deputy CEO and Head of English and Portuguese-speaking Area Retail.

Targeted medicines

The most commonly falsified drugs are those considered essential: antibiotics, HIV antiretrovirals, antimalarials, painkillers (particularly opioids like tramadol), and genitourinary medicines.

Anti-inflammatories and blood-derived products also face significant counterfeiting.

The rising burden of chronic diseases requiring expensive treatments – diabetes, hypertension, and cancer – has fueled the expansion of illicit markets.

As patients struggle with substantial medical expenses, fake medicines targeting these conditions have proliferated.

Accajou explained the root cause: “The proliferation of fake medicines in Africa is not just a criminal issue, it’s a consequence of systemic gaps in access to quality healthcare. When pharmacies are scarce, prices unaffordable, and supply chains unreliable, desperate populations turn to street markets, creating a fertile ground for traffickers to thrive.”

The report identifies that 75 per cent of fake medicines originate from China and India, with half routed through Dubai to conceal their source.

Nigeria serves as the primary African entry point, with Lagos functioning as the leading Gulf of Guinea commerce port.

From Nigeria, counterfeit products flood local markets and spread to neighbouring countries including Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Chad, and Togo.

The global counterfeit medicine market generates between $75-200 billion annually. This trafficking proves extraordinarily lucrative – reportedly 20 to 45 times more profitable than illicit drug trafficking.

Deadly consequences

Economic consequences extend beyond immediate profits. The increased morbidity from falsified drugs creates additional healthcare expenditures and productivity losses for already fragile African economies.

“It is because of falsified antimalarial drugs that we are losing 100,000 Africans. Of the one million annual deaths caused by malaria, 200,000 could be avoided if patients were treated with genuine medicines,” Accajou stated.

Exposure to fake medicines can cause toxicity, treatment failure, worsening conditions, or death.

On a broader scale, counterfeit drugs contribute to the epidemic spread and, through underdosing, fuel dangerous antibiotic and antiviral resistance.

While Kenya has made healthcare progress, the country still faces significant challenges.

Gavin Pearson, CEO of CFAO Healthcare Kenya, noted that fragmented distribution networks and circulating fake drugs continue exposing patients to life-threatening risks.

Digital threats

“By bringing together government, regulators, and private sector players, we can build a safer and more transparent pharmaceutical supply chain. Our goal at CFAO Healthcare Kenya is to ensure that every patient receives genuine, high-quality medicine, no matter where they are,” Pearson said.

The fight against counterfeit medicines must now address a growing digital threat.

Although internet access remains limited across Africa, smartphone proliferation and expanding mobile networks are facilitating illicit online commerce, already the primary vector for fake medicines in industrialised countries.