Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister has urged radio stations in the region to be circumspect about drug related advertisements.
He asked them to broadcast such advertisements in accordance with the ethics of advertisements in the country in order not to promote self-medication with its attendant health implications.
Alhaji Idris was addressing a day's workshop on regenerative health and nutrition aimed at promoting good health and enhancing the nutritional levels of Ghanaians on Wednesday at Tamale.
The Ghana Health Service organised the programme with technical support from the Africa Hebrew Development Agency (AHDA), an Israelite non-governmental organisation advocating a healthy lifestyle and attended by personnel from the health sector, the media and keep-fit clubs.
Alhaji Idris noted that in recent times, the advertisements carried by most of the radio stations had created a situation where certain drugs were portrayed as panacea to all ailments.
The Minister said such advertisements could mislead the public, particularly those in Northern Ghana, where illiteracy rate was so high, into buying drugs, which could be injurious to their health.
He therefore called on the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) and the Food and Drugs Board to undertake an inspection of drugs in circulations in the region to check their efficacy.
When contacted, Mr. Francis Luguwuu, the Regional Officer of the GSB, said the Board had not received any registration from any organisation about drugs in the region adding: "No radio station has also come to verify the standards of the drugs they advertise".