By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Nov. 23, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has organised a day’s training programme for Operators of storage facilities in the Ashanti Region on good storage and distribution practices.
The goal was to enable participants to understand what good storage and distribution meant and appreciate the key parameters that maintain the quality and safety of products distributed.
It also sought to equip them with the knowledge and skills to comply with the current codes of good storage and distribution practices and the prevailing legal requirements as enshrined in the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey, Ashanti Regional Head of FDA, said storage facilities played significant roles in the value chain of consumables by ensuring products remained wholesome throughout the period of storage.
“Unfortunately, in some cases, operators fail to comply with requirements of good storage and distribution practices resulting in the deterioration and contamination of products in storage even before their shelf-lives are due,” he observed.
He said the training programme, therefore, sought to adequately address the unacceptable levels of non-compliance in some critical areas revealed by a gap analysis conducted by the FDA.
According to him, it was observed during the analysis that while some operators ignorantly failed to meet the regulatory requirements, others, motivated by economic gains, fraudulently and consciously refused to comply with the requirements.
Among the non-compliance observed included unauthorised product reconditioning, re-labelling, insanitary conditions as well as absence of or errors in documentations, he noted.
Mr. Odai-Tettey said the application of good storage and distribution practices gave a high degree of assurance that a product would retain its consistency with respect to safety, quality and efficacy in accordance with its specifications and standards.
Ms. Anita Owusu Kuffour, a Principal Regulatory Officer, who took the participants through the guidelines for good storage and distribution practices, said adhering to such standards formed part of quality assurance that ensured that the quality of products was maintained.
She explained that good distribution principles were applicable to products moving through the entire chain from manufacture, storage, distribution to the final consumer.
She said all parties had a responsibility to ensure the quality of products and the integrity of the distribution chain.
Dr Abigail Attah, a Senior Regulatory Officer, also educated the participants on the standard operating procedure for receipt, and delivery of products in a manner that did not compromise product quality and efficacy.
She implored them to maintain accurate temperatures in warehouses and frequently monitor storage conditions as key players in the value chain.
Mr. Daniel Geraldo, the Public Relations Officer implored the participants to prioritise the safety of their consumers by implementing all they had learnt during the training.
GNA