“The Dangers of Unlicensed Pharmacies: An Investigation into Medication Errors and Impersonators in Lebanon’s Health Sector”

bitter Unnoticed news An investigation was opened by the Pharmacists Syndicate after the death of a patient as a result of the wrong medication being administered by Amer Al-Riz Alam El-Din, who was impersonating a pharmacist in the Minieh region. This incident, which opens the door wide to the abuses and violations recorded by Lebanon, especially in the health sector, raises fear and anxiety. It is true that it may fall within an individual incident, but it may open the door to something more dangerous and greater in the absence of oversight and chaos.

Were it not for the case of death, people would not have known that the so-called Amer Al-Riz Alamuddin was impersonating him, and that the souls of the sick were at stake in his hands. What happened with the Syrian patient Saeed Al-Akari (22 years old) is a great lesson for the danger of the spread of illegal pharmacies or workers who do not have a pharmacy degree.

A week ago, the Pharmacists’ Syndicate announced in a statement that “the Pharmacists’ Syndicate’s inspection moved in the Akkar region to close the pharmacy, following the news circulating about the so-called Amer Al-Riz Alamuddin, the impersonator of a pharmacist, who caused the death of a patient.”

The Syndicate also confirmed that it will carry out all the necessary investigations and inform the Ministry of Health about them, in order to save the lives of citizens and according to the process of infringement on the pharmacy profession by impersonators and illegal pharmacies.

The head of the Pharmacists Syndicate, Joe Salloum, did not hide his fear of this widespread phenomenon, as he pointed out that “illegal pharmacies are spread in various Lebanese regions, some of which are illegal and others that bear a partisan character, and there are also unlicensed pharmacies that sell drugs that are not registered with the Ministry of Health or are smuggled.” This, of course, poses a threat to the patient’s health.”

But what next?

In order to delve deeper into this tragic incident, it was remarkable that the people of the region were apprehensive and reluctant to speak, just as it was clear that they did not want to provide us with any information.

After many attempts, “An-Nahar” learned from a follow-up source that “Amer Al-Riz Alamuddin is hiding from sight, and it is said that he traveled to Turkey. In the details of what happened, the patient, Saeed, who is married and has two children, suffered from fever and headache, and after he went to the pharmacy, The aforementioned, Amer Al-Riz Alamuddin gave him an injection, but he did not reach his home, as he died on the road before being transferred to the hospital.

As a result, the hospital informed the Internal Security Forces because the death was related to an error in administering the medication.

The Information Division raided the pharmacy and closed it. The security and judicial forces (from the Pharmacists Syndicate and the Syrian Commissioner for Refugees) initiated investigations, while the Syrian patient who died last Friday was buried.

For its part, the UNHCR is following up on the matter and investigations, as well as following up with the family to find out the circumstances. Commenting on this incident, UNHCR sources stress to “An-Nahar” the importance of encouraging refugees to visit primary health care centers accredited by the Ministry of Public Health, which are part of the UNHCR network and located throughout the country, in addition to government hospitals contracted with it to receive medical treatment. “.

UNHCR also seeks to “intensify its regular campaigns to combat fraud targeting refugee groups, and some exploitative schemes implemented by third parties.”

The campaign of the Pharmacists Syndicate against all illegal pharmacies and dispensaries may be necessary, but the most important thing is that it remain continuous and permanent in order to preserve the health of the citizen.