OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINE SELLERS IN WA TRAINED

The Upper West Regional Office of the Pharmacy Council in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has organized a pharmacovigilance training for Over the Counter Medicine Sellers (OTCMS) in the Wa municipality in the Upper West Region on the 27th January, 2020. 

The purpose of the training was to equip the OTCMs with the knowledge and skills to improve early identification and reporting of safety issues of medicines and other health products regulated by the FDA.  

Participants were introduced to the safety monitoring system in Ghana and the timelines for reporting side effects of medicines, procedures for reporting and the tools available for reporting side effects to the FDA. 

Mr. Albert Ankomah, the Head of the Upper West Regional Office of the FDA explained that, reporting side effects of the safety of medicines, herbal medicines, vaccines and other health products will enable the Authority and manufacturers of the products to take the necessary actions to promote patient safety with regards to marketed products.  

He further encouraged the general public to report side effects medicine and other health products to their healthcare professionals or report directly to the FDA using the Med Safety Mobile App.  

The Upper West Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, Mr. Lateef Adjei Wiredu cautioned individuals to desist from using the OTC certificates for other business. He described the act as illegal. 

In all fifty-four (54) OTCMs were trained.