Caption:
Participants at the World Patient Safety Day
Story:
THE CHIEF Executive Officer for Shared Blessing Alliance (SBA), a non-governmental organisation which specialises in providing support to the vulnerable in society, Ike Ewuah Mensah, has urged the media to consciously carry out the right information on medication.
He noted that many in the country have gotten to trust the media than anyone else including experts regarding information sharing.
This, he stated makes it crucial for the media to carry out accurate and timely information on matters especially issues on health and medication.
Addressing participants at this year’s World Patient Safety Day at the Presbyterian Hall in Kumasi on the theme Medication Safety Day; the Role of the Media, Mr Ewuah Mensah said it was important that the media get to know the right information regarding drugs and Medication so they can adequately disseminate same to the public.
Pharmacist:
Mr Godwin Baah, a licensed Pharmacist disclosed that many have died due to drug abuse.
Many people in the country, he noted do not take prescriptions serious, adding that some abuse drugs by not taking the right dosage.
Others, he mentioned also abuse the timeliness given to them to take their medicines.
“What I have realised since turning professional is that many do not ask the right questions when they are given medications at the hospital and they choose to use the drugs their own way disregarding the dosage, timelines and storage instructions”, Mr Baah stated.
Concerns:
Mr Baah therefore appealed to media owners not to be swayed by money to advertise products which do not have right certification on their stations.
Most herbal medicines that are promoted on radio and television, the Pharmacist said do not have proof of getting patients cure.
Some herbal preparations could cause stroke, diarrhoea and at times turn fatal when they are taken, Mr Baah revealed.
“I urge the media to consciously and firmly take licenses from these herbal medicine producers and ensure their products are approved by the FDA before they are allowed to advertise on radio and TV”, Mr Baah stated.
By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie
Kumasi
