Pharmaceutical Society Donates School Items To LEKMA Northern Cluster Of Schools

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has donated 3000 exercise books, 3000 pens and four dust bins to LEKMA Northern Cluster of Schools at Gormo in Teshie.

Similar donation will held in all the ten regions with a campaign to end worm infestation among school children in Ghana as part of effort towards the celebration of this year’s World Pharmacists Day scheduled for Monday 25^th September.

Speaking at the ceremony,the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Pharm. Benjamin Kwame Botwe saidthey will organize public education in communities, schools, churches and mosques on the responsible use of medicines, adherence to counseling, health promotion and public health.

He indicated that Pharmacy continues to be one profession that has contributed immensely to the social and economic wellbeing of the country.

In this year’s celebration, Mr. Botwe added that the Society in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals, and the Ghana Education Service (GES) is working together to fight against worm infestation among school children.

According to him, this is an indication of their continuous efforts at positioning the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana as a key partner in promoting good health in Ghana.

He called on government and other stakeholders to equally support the Society in the delivery of such social interventions.

The President stressed that the Society willdraw public’s attention to an important public health issue-on proliferation and abuse of high dose tramadol.

He warned Tramadol is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor before use.

“Its use without prescription could lead to adverse effects, dependence and possible death. The PSGH in collaboration with Food and Drugs Authority and Pharmacy Council has issued an alert for a brand of TRAMADOL of strength of 200mg and 250mg which is not registered in Ghana,” he intimated.

Speaking on behalf of the Health Minister, the Deputy Director, Administration and/Legal, Ministry of Health, DelaKemevor indicated that Pharmacists have consistently contributed so much to healthcare that we sometimes take for granted, the very things they do which end up saving our lives.

“Just think about it, sometime back, when one was diagnosed of HIV/AIDS, it was just like a death sentence. Today, people can live full life while still positive with HIV/AIDS. This is the result of work done over the years by Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists to bringing us antiretroviral drugs,” he stated.

Mr. Kemevor said through this launch, the Ministry wish to highlight issues relating to cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation and most importantly, deworming.

“When we were young, our parents made sure we dewormed every three months and this was something which got stuck with us till date. Today, for some reasons, the current generation does not deworm religiously as we did in the past,” he stressed.

The Ghana Country Manager of Johnson and Johnson, Priscilla OwusuSekyere indicated that this occasion will afford them the opportunity to strengthen their collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and the Ghana Education Service to fight worm infestation among school children in Ghana.

She indicated that diseases from parasites and worm infestations, such as guinea-worm, schistosomiasis and other Neglected Tropical Diseases, impose a heavy burden on the population and healthcare services as they affect a large number of people, especially school children in Ghana.

“This has a serious impact on school attendance rates, childhood growth and cognitive development, leading to high levels of disability and loss of productivity,” she noted.

Priscilla OwusuSekyere stressed that following last year’s success, they want to continue working together to help teach primary school children about the dangers of poor sanitation and the importance of effective hand-washing.

According to her, they have designed a drawing competition, focusing on worm infestation targeted at school children in Ghana.

She emphasized that this drawing competition, which will start from the Greater Accra Region, will not only encourage the children, through their engagement with each other to pass on the information but it will also help ensure that worm infestations quickly become a thing of the past.