Benin: Warning About Fake Remedies!

In Benin, self-proclaimed « doctors » and sellers promote powders, teas and spiritual ointments on social media, claiming they can quickly cure conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Marc, a patient with hypertension, says he suffered severe headaches and dizziness after buying a tea advertised as able to normalize blood pressure in seven days; the seller then stopped responding. Élisabeth says her mother stopped her type 2 diabetes treatment after being approached by sales agents and was later rushed to hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis. The practices exploit patients’ vulnerability and circulate products whose composition is not subject to health oversight, despite existing regulations.