50% of all medicines dispensed inappropriately – PSGH
Mr James Ohemeng-Kyei, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), on Wednesday said 50 per cent of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed and sold inappropriately, according to statistics gathered by the World Health Organization (WHO).
He said 50 per cent of all patients also failed to take their medicines correctly.
He explained that the overuse, underuse or misuse of medicines tended to harm people and wasted resources, which in turn affected the economy of the country.
Mr Ohemeng-Kyei made this known at the 2012 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the PSGH on Wednesday in Cape Coast which was under the theme: “Rational Use Of Medicines: A Key To Quality Health Outcomes”.
The AGM was aimed at equipping pharmacists of the country with the necessary knowledge to safeguard the welfare of pharmacies as well as the welfare of individuals by ensuring rational use of medicines.
Mr Ohemeng-Kyei explained that inappropriate dispensing and sale of medicines brought about the irrational use of medicines.
In light of this, he charged all pharmacists to be professional in their work, adding that the AGM was going to deliberate on irrational use of medicines to ensure a positive impact on pharmaceutical practice.
He said it was only the pharmacist who had the training and capacity to administer pharmaceutical care therefore, they must ensure that the outcome of their every dispensary was positive by always putting the heath of their patients first.
He said in order to ensure rational use of medicine in the country, the pharmacists must be guided by a four point delivery plan, which involves assessing the patients problems, developing a care plan for the patient, implementing the care plan, and evaluating and monitoring the care plan.
Mr Ohemeng- Kyei recounted that 16 of 23 hospitals making 69.7% in the Northern Region had no pharmacists, adding that “how then can they ensure rational use of medicines?”
Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Minister of Health, In a speech delivered on his behalf, cautioned pharmacists that “ Pharmacy is not all about prescription, but was also about ensuring positive health outcomes, administering drugs in a legal way to save the country’s economy as well as public education on health and rational use of drugs.
He advised them to be friends with their clients and interact with them, thereby contributing their quota to the good of the country.
Source: GNA