The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has hinted that 100% of Antimalaria and Antiretroviral drugs in Ghana are of good quality.
In a statement sighted by Thinknewsonline.com, the FDA said “In line with the above, the FDA has also introduced several risk-based approaches and interventions such as the extensive processes involved in medical product registration namely -laboratory analysis of samples, inspection and licensing of manufacturing facilities have had a far-reaching effect to curb the menace of substandard and fake medicines in the country”
The statement also hinted that the FDA has also introduced several risk-based approaches and interventions such as the extensive processes involved in medical product registration namely -laboratory analysis of samples, inspection, and licensing of manufacturing facilities have had a far-reaching effect to curb the menace of substandard and fake medicines in the country.
“The FDA, in attempts to control the influx of substandard and falsified medicines into the country by unauthorized means, has heightened surveillance at Ghana’s ports of entry which has led to the seizure and destruction of many such products. The FDA with support from the government is also working with neighboring countries through the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), the WHO, and the International Police (Interpol) in this regard” it stated.
“The Authority has also constituted a 12-member Inter-Agency Committee, from the Security Services, the Judiciary Service and other allied health agencies, solely to provide strategies and recommendations on combating the menace of substandard/falsified medical products, including developing and maintaining a Watch List of medical products considered to be most susceptible to counterfeiting” it added.
The Leadership of the FDA in the statement however mentioned that it has earned world-class recognition by the Africa Union Development Agency -NEPAD as a Regional Africa Centre of Excellence for Africa Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Organization (AMRHO) through its intensive random product quality monitoring and inspections (sampling and testing) which are conducted periodically, to protect public health and safety.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says it is assuring the public that the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines on the Ghanaian market is closely monitored on a daily basis, and therefore no need for panic.
The public is also encouraged to disregard unsubstantiated publications that may seek to erode public confidence in Ghana’s health system.
Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that substandard and falsified medicines have been a bane of the developing world and Ghana has not been an exception.
It is emerging that the World Health Organization in research conducted in 2017, estimates that 1 in 10 medical products in low/middle-income countries are substandard and falsified and is considered as a multimillion-dollar business that claims the lives of millions around the world.
In 2009, a survey conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) revealed that about 39.6% of antimalarial medicines on the Ghanaian market were substandard and falsified.
As part of efforts to combat this issue, the FDA mounted intensive nationwide public education and post-market surveillance activities which have resulted in a significant decline in substandard and falsified antimalarial medicines on the Ghanaian market.
This was shown in a study conducted by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) which indicated a drastic reduction in the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines from 39.9% in 2009 to about 1.4% in 2018.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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