Pharmaceutical society to lead fight to eradicate malaria

Saturday, January 12, 2008 Pg 22 (The Mirror)
By Rebecca Kwei
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Dr Alex Dodoo, has pledged the society’s resolve to lead the fight in the eradication of malaria in the country.
To this end, the society intends to work with the National Malaria Control Programme for the provision of rapid diagnostic test kits for malaria in all community pharmacies.
Additionally, pharmacists in Ghana will promote the national malaria control strategy including the provision and supply of insecticide-treated material, prompt and effective management of malaria with artemisinin-combination therapies and supply of medicines for preventive treatment for infants and pregnant women.
Dr Dodoo made this known at the inauguration of an eight-member Standing Executive Committee members of PSGH in Accra.
The Chairman of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Harry Abutiate, swore in the eight members into office. They are Alex Dodoo, President; Mrs Nana Yaa Nartey, Treasurer; Mr Philip W. O. Anum, Editor, and Messrs Franklin Acheampong, Ernest Aboagye, Kenneth Atabu Agbodza and Kofi Abu as executive members. Dr (Mrs) Frances Thelma K. Owusu-Daaku was sworn in as Vice-President, in absentia.
Dr Dodoo said the society will also work with relevant agencies to tackle sanitation and look for opportunities in managing the procurement as well as safe and effective use and disposal of chemicals for indoor residual spraying of houses.
He noted that the safety of patients should be the concern of all health care professionals including pharmacists, adding that he would use the tenure of his presidency to promote patient safety within pharmacies.
To this end, he said the PSGH would monitor medication errors and recommend suggestions for prevention or reduction of medication errors including dispensing errors as well as being active in pharmacovigilance. It will also support research to identify causes of errors and adverse effects.
Dr Dodoo said his other focus would be in the building of the image of the PSGH, putting pharmacy be at the heart of public health, and fostering international collaborations.
In his speech, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Ghana, Dr Joaquim Saweka, said medicines are an important resource and access to them should be considered as a human right.
He said the good implementation of this can be done with contribution from both public and private pharmacists.
He noted that medicines were fundamental to the good performance of the health care delivery system and the availability of medicines in health facilities, as well as the public’s access to them, contributed to maintaining the population’s confidence and trust in the system.
Furthermore, he said better management of the available medicines would contribute to a better health system while efficient procurement would contribute to achieving that goal.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey, who represented the sector minister, Major Courage Quashigah (retd), urged the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana to champion the cause of regenerative health within their areas of operation.
She said as pharmacists, they must ensure that they have time to advise all clients on healthy eating and living as described under the regenerative health and nutrition programme.
Dr Ashitey gave the assurance that “as a government we have and will continue to keep faith with health professionals by ensuring that we create a conducive environment for you to give of your best”.