Obuasi (Ash), May 25, GNA - More than one hundred health workers in the Obuasi municipality have attended a workshop to equip themselves with the tools to enable them effectively support the Centre for Pharmacovigilance to address adverse drug reactions (AIRs) in the country.

The Centre for Pharmacovigilance, which is at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has been set up by the government to detect, assess, prevent and monitor adverse drug reactions with the aim of providing early warning to the public.

The workshop, organized by the Municipal Health Directorate has Dr V. A. Mensah, the Medical Superintendent of the Obuasi Government Hospital and the Municipal Pharmacist, Mr Andrews Opoku as resource persons.

Among topics treated were, What is Pharmacovigilance, Why the need for it" The Role of Health Workers in its activities" and "the completion of the adverse event report form for drugs "Herbal Medicines and Vaccines"

Dr Mensah said Pharmacovigilance had become necessary because of the Thalidomide drug experience and the recent public outcry over the extreme weakness associated with Artesunate-amodiaquine combination therapy.

He said though the Thalidomide drug was popular in the early 1960s, was used to control vomiting in pregnancy and also used to help people to relax or sleep, it was later found to be causing damages to babies in the womb by stopping the development of their arms and legs, when taken by pregnant women.

The medical superintendent said with the Artesunate-amodiaquine combination therapy, the concerns being raised about its safety and efficacy could not have been raised, if health care givers had followed certain basic directions before using the drug for the treatment of malaria.

The directions included determining the dosage according to the weight of the patient and not the age, the drugs should be taken together, when there is food in the stomach to energise the patient and finally toe calculated doses are taken in two divided doses at 12 hours intervals for three days.

Dr Mensah said with pharmacovigilance, counterfeit and sub-standard drugs would be detected to ensure that only quality drugs were on the market.

In addition, he said, adverse and side effects of drugs would be monitored to enable the public to be informed early about any adverse reactions.

Dr Mensah asked the health workers to take active interest in Pharmacovigilance and report any suspicions of adverse drug reactions to help save lives.

Opening the workshop, Dr Samuel Osei-Mensah, The Municipal Director of Health Service noted that health workers now faced new challenges, following the replacement of chloroquine with artesunate-amodiaquine, as a first line drug for the treatment of simple malaria in the country.