Guinea’s military authorities are trying to end the illicit trade in prescription medicines. The country is a hotspot for pharmaceutical trafficking in West Africa, with around 70 per cent of medicine sold in Guinea being reportedly illicit.
Conakry’s Madina market is considered the epicentre of the trade and is an important storage and redistribution centre for the region. While some of the contraband is sold in the country, much of it is transported to Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau and Côte d’Ivoire.
There have been several efforts to combat the illegal dealings over the years. In 2009, the National Council for Democracy and Development under Moussa Dadis Camara launched a campaign against factories developing pharmaceutical products in and around the capital. While large quantities were seized, the black market quickly reappeared a few months later.
