By Stanley Senya
Accra, June 14, GNA – The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has called on government to fully and immediately clear remaining global health fund medical products to forestall future recurrence and guarantee quality, safety, and efficacy of the health commodities.
In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, the PSGH said the remaining containers held life-saving medications and health commodities, including artesunate injection for severe malaria, Tuberculosis (TB) medicines for both category 1 and category 2 patients, malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits (RDTs), and GeneXpert cartridges for TB diagnosis, among others.
However, further delay in clearing the remaining containers would have severe repercussions, including complete stock-out of malaria RDTs which would hamper the country’s ability to diagnose and treat malaria promptly.
It said if medicines for, especially TB treatment ran out, it would lead to default in treatment leading to drug resistant TB which was very difficult to treat.
“These disruptions not only threaten the health and well-being of countless Ghanaians but also undermines the significant progress we have made in combating HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria.”
It said the delay in clearing all these essential health commodities from the port directly impacted pharmacists’ ability to perform their roles.
Without timely access to these medications, pharmacists cannot provide the necessary care to patients, leading to potential treatment failures and increased morbidity and mortality.
The statement called on government to make policies and legislations that expedited granting of waivers for taxes and levies on these critical health commodities to facilitate their swift clearance.
It also said government must ensure the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) inspected the commodities and confirmed storage conditions had not compromised their quality, and conduct thorough quality control assessments before the products are distributed to health facilities.
Additionally, it reminded the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the urgent need to address the $844,046 ineligible expense reimbursement to the Global Fund to avoid the potential loss of $1.6 million from the current grant cycle.
This financial oversight, if not rectified, will further strain healthcare system and adversely impact the health of Ghanaians.
“Ghana’s recent celebrations of 20 years of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and our pledge of $2million to the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment reflect our commitment to these global health initiatives, however, the current impasse casts a shadow over our achievements and international standing.
The statement said PSGH was committed to collaborating with the MOH and other stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that ensure uninterrupted access to essential health commodities.
“We advocate for robust domestic financing mechanisms to support our HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria programs and safeguard the health of all Ghanaians,” it added.
GNA