By: Abdulai Saccoh, Senior Public Education Officer, ACC
The Southern Regional Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on Thursday, 13 August 2026, engaged staff of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone on mainstreaming corruption prevention safeguards into their daily operations.The engagement, held at the ACC Southern Regional Office in Sheriff Town, Bo, focused on strengthening integrity and accountability in the regulation of pharmaceutical products and related medical supplies.
Speaking at the engagement, ACC Regional Manager, South, Mohamed Toboyeke, highlighted the critical role of the Pharmacy Board in regulating the quality and safety of drugs and other medical products available to the public.He cautioned staff against exploiting operational challenges and institutional gaps to engage in corrupt practices and explained corruption offences under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019, as they relate to their work. He also reminded participants of the legal and institutional consequences of corruption, including imprisonment, fines, recovery of misappropriated resources and disqualification from public office.
Mr. Toboyeke urged Pharmacy Board staff to resist attempts by unscrupulous pharmacy operators to influence them to bypass established regulatory standards, noting that such practices can have serious consequences for public health and safety.
Senior Public Education Officer, Abdulai Saccoh, said the Pharmacy Board’s mandate to regulate pharmaceutical products and practices places it at the frontline of protecting public health. He acknowledged operational challenges, including resource constraints, but stressed that such challenges must not compromise professional integrity.Mr. Saccoh also highlighted public concerns about the enforcement of regulations on counterfeit and substandard drugs, particularly perceptions that enforcement sometimes focuses on small-scale retailers while larger importers remain insufficiently scrutinised.
He called for stronger regulation of the pharmaceutical and medical products sector, sustained public sensitisation and closer collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies to tackle fake, illegal and expired medical commodities.
The Pharmacy Board’s Officer-in-Charge, South, Sheku J. Idriss, outlined the Board’s regulatory responsibilities covering pharmaceutical products, medical devices, cosmetics, chemical substances, food and dietary supplements, and herbal products.He reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to working with the ACC to address operational challenges and prevent dishonest practices. He also urged staff to take the anti-corruption messages seriously and integrate ethical practices into their daily work.
Earlier, ACC Public Education Officer, South, David Garrick, said the engagement was intended to strengthen the Pharmacy Board’s integrity systems and reinforce the message that the fight against corruption is a shared responsibility.He encouraged staff to uphold professional standards, take pride in doing the right thing and have the courage to report corrupt practices.
