Ask your doctors questions regarding medications they're prescribing for you — IMaH Pharmacists

Ms. Sandra Araba Mensah, the deputy head of pharmacy at International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema, has urged patients to feel at ease asking medical experts questions and occasionally obtaining a second opinion in order to ensure the safe administration of their medications.

She asserts that the inquiries should cover a variety of topics, including what condition the prescription is intended to treat, how to store it, any possible side effects, and when and how to take it.

When IMaH Pharmacists, including Nana Oye Edmund, the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor, and Dr. Marc Kwame Dzradosi, the Head of Pharmaceutical Service, spoke at the weekly "Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative.

The Ghana News Agency's Tema Regional Office developed the public health advocacy platform "Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility" to investigate the components of four health communication approaches: informing, instructing, convincing, and promoting.

Speaking on polypharmacy, Ms. Mensah emphasized the significance of honest and open communication between patients and medical providers as the cornerstone of a comprehensive treatment.

The public was also warned by Dr. Dzradosi, the IMaH Head of Pharmaceutical Service, against consuming too much ginger and garlic, especially if they are taking medicine since this could cause their blood to thin.

Especially among Ghanaian cuisine and in herbal medicine, garlic, and ginger are among the most frequently used natural spices. Some people consume them raw, while others add them to all of their meals, including tea.

However, according to Dr. Dzradosi, "a high intake of garlic and ginger can thin your blood and cause bleeding."

He warned the public to consume such foods in moderation because they are blood thinners and could cause bleeding if taken together. He cited as examples aspirin and ginger, warning that doing so could cause bleeding if not monitored.

Therefore, he recommended patients take the time to speak with their doctors or chemists and give all pertinent details, including the foods they consume so that they could perform an accurate diagnosis.

Regarding safe medication, he advised patients to consider what brought them to the hospital and determine whether the doctor accurately diagnosed their symptoms after listening to their complaints.

He said that before leaving the hospital, people should confirm that they were given the correct drug and inquire about how it will function any potential adverse effects, and other crucial details.

He also reiterated the need for doctors and other medical professionals to perform a medication reconciliation before giving medications to their patients.

He claimed that drug interactions would be reduced, prescription cascades that might be harmful to patients' health would be stopped, and the likelihood of prescribing the wrong medication would be reduced via medication reconciliation.

When patients check into a hospital, Dr. Dzradosi recommends that health professionals ask them about their medication regimens, including any prescription pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter meds, herbal supplements, and supplement concoctions.

He revealed that many people nowadays are polypharmacy patients, taking five or more medications simultaneously due to various medical conditions.

One person may have hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, prostate issues, kidney issues, and cancer, among other ailments, according to Dr. Dzradosi.

He continued by saying that specific drugs would be needed for the treatment of each of these illnesses.

Ms. Edmunds urged patients to go to the hospital as soon as they experienced any uncomfortable side effects from taking any medication.

In order to ensure that patients were knowledgeable about the prescriptions they were receiving, she also advised them to read the pharmaceutical leaflets, which provided details on the drug's components, side effects, dosage, and dos and don'ts.