GHS Worries Over Sub-Standard Drugs

The Western Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, has indicated that the inappropriate use of anti-biotic and proliferation of sub-standard anti-microbial is a major challenge facing healthcare delivery system.

“We live in the part of the world where the focus of the majority is to make money without recourse to the harm their activities and behaviour have on the rest of the world,” he stated.

Dr Tinkorang was speaking at the opening of the 2016 Senior Pharmacy Managers' Meeting at Takoradi in the Western Region on Wednesday.

The annual meeting presented the opportunity for the pharmacists to deliberate on key and crucial issues concerning pharmaceutical services in the public sector in Ghana.

It was on the theme: 'Anti-Microbial Resistance, No Action Today, No Cure Tomorrow'.

He pointed out that anti-microbial resistance was becoming a global threat, and called on pharmacists to come out with measures to address the menace.

Dr Tinkorang also urged all leaders in healthcare delivery in the country to endeavour to build the capacity of others in the area of appropriate use of anti-microbial.

Martha Gyansah Lutterodt, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Ministry of Health (MoH), revealed that currently financing of health in Ghana was becoming a challenge.

She disclosed that most health facilities were distressed in terms of cash flow, but urged all pharmacists to be determined to make a difference in their areas of practice.

Madam Gyansah Lutterodt explained that anti-microbial resistance was becoming a global security threat that is likely to erode about 100 years of treating simple bacterial infections.

“As senior managers, we may also have to reflect on effects of all the supply chain issues on the quality of medicines, including antibiotics at all levels of the health system,” she added.

For his part, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, Director General, Ghana Health Service, indicated that his outfit was bent on ensuring that it reaches every Ghanaian with quality healthcare.

He commended the various health workers, especially pharmacists, for helping to eradicate guinea worm disease in the country, adding, “We have not had measles mortality for some time now, we don't see polio, tuberculosis cure is quiet high and HIV are low.”

Dr Appiah-Denkyira appealed to the pharmacists to endeavour to educate managers of the various community-based health planning and services (CHPS) compounds on the proper ways of handling and keeping drugs.

He assured the pharmacists that measures were being put in place to ensure that that the country's health facilities did not have shortage of medicines, and mentioned the construction of appropriate warehouses for drugs, among others.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi