The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Eastern region has embarked on public education at the Kumasi lorry station in Koforidua aimed at combating substandard and falsified medicines in the region.
The advocacy campaign called “Promoting The Quality Medicines Plus (PQM+) Program” is also aimed at educating and encouraging the public on the need for consumers to buy approved medicines from authorized facilities to avoid purchasing fake products from the market.
Addressing a mini durbar at the station, the Eastern regional Head for FDA, Madam Anita Owusu Kuffour said, the goal of the campaign was to increase medicine safety among the target audience, enhance awareness and advocacy among identified stakeholders and advocates on medicine safety in the regional capital.
To this end, Anita Owusu Kuffour therefore urged the public to avoid purchasing drugs from the roadside but rather purchase from the Counter Chemical Sellers (OTC’s) and pharmacy shops for their own safety.
The Regional Manager said studies over the years have shown that substandard and falsified medicines continued to be the bane of the developing world and Ghana was no exception.
Speaking on the sidelines of the durbar, Madam Anita mentioned that, the dangers of substandard and falsified medicines also called “counterfeit medicines” in the region cannot be kept under the carpet.
She added that, as part of Food and Drugs Authority’s activities to flash out counterfeit medical sellers from the market, they have developed and distributed printed posters and leaflets with visually appealing images to grab attention and effectively convey key messages.
Again, training for management of transport terminals, drivers and coach assistants to become advocates of medicine safety within their respective work environments is in force.
The regional manager said, that in as much as the FDA supports the production of herbal medicines, she noted that it’s important for herbal practitioners to seek FDA approval for the product to avoid being arrested.
Herbal practitioner, Mr. Samuel Kwadwo Antwi raised concerns about the strict rules and regulations for herbal drugs, adding that, local manufacturers are struggling to be in business due to the rising inflation rate, registration fees and lack of marketplaces to sell their products.
However, Mr. Samuel Antwi commended the FDA regional manager and her team for enhancing public awareness in a quest to combat substandard drugs.
An executive member for Koforidua to Kumasi GPRTU, Mr. Kwame Agyare said going forward, herbal practitioners who engage passengers for their drugs at the station will be engaged to regulate their activities.
