FDA arrests herbalist who claims to have HIV cure

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has caused the arrest of the Chief Executive Officer of Amponsah Herbal Clinic, Mr Alex Kwadwo Amponsah, for advertising drugs he claims to be a cure for various sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV without authorisation.

Mr Amponsah, a herbalist, who also owns 'Wo haw ne sen' Company Limited, on a recent television programme, suggested that if candidiasis was left untreated, it could progress and turn into gonorrhea and after a while, develop into syphilis and later HIV.

A video footage of his ‘TV education’ programme, which went viral got the attention of the FDA who together with the Nima Police effected his arrest. 

According to the FDA, Mr Amponsah was arrested because he contravened sections of its regulations in the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851.

The section on Prohibited Advertisement in the Act states that “A person shall not advertise a drug, a herbal medicinal product, cosmetic, medical device or household chemical substance to the general public as a treatment, preventive or cure for a disease, disorder or an abnormal physical state, unless the advertisement has been approved by the Authority”.

According to the FDA , it was a criminal offence to advertise the treatment, prevention or cure for those conditions and as such Mr. Amponsah will be charged for engaging in criminality.

Mr. Amponsah has been taken into police custody assisting with investigations. 

Below is the video