Editorial
Let’s take measures to ensure safety of public’s health
Up until recently, there was an attempt of advertising for various medicines on the market, and gullible victims purchased these medicines.
Unknowingly, people take unapproved medications every day, endangering their lives for a product they should be able to trust.
It is regrettable that some media outlets do not verify the legitimacy and efficacy of particular medications before advertising them.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has said that it will take action against the media for promoting unapproved medications.
This is due to the fact that unapproved medications put customers at risk because the FDA has not examined them to assure their safety, efficacy, or product quality.
The Spectator suggests that the FDA should not only focus attention on the media but also on individuals who parade themselves in vehicles peddling a variety of drugs that they say may treat a variety of maladies.
Even though the majority of these unapproved medicines lack labels containing information on dose or the manufacturing process, people still use them in significant amounts to treat illnesses or conditions for which they are not indicated.
However, some people assert that taking such unapproved medications may be useful in treating specific ailments. They should be aware that the lack of control renders the medications unreliable, hazardous, and a major issue that necessitates close monitoring.
Innocent victims purchase these medications, but instead of feeling better after taking them, they develop a variety of health issues that may quickly result in death.
It is not unexpected that the prevalence of chronic illnesses and fatal conditions, such as heart, liver, and renal dysfunction, has been rising recently. The FDA has a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable people from the dangers associated with these medications.
It is a truth that taking unauthorised medications can have negative effects on one’s health as well as the health of their communities, country, and the entire world.
The Spectator therefore implores the public to verify before purchasing any medication to guarantee that it is both safe and efficient for the intended use.
By Sections 100 and 114 of the Public Health Act of 2012, Act 851, and the FDA Guidelines for the Advertisement of Regulated Products any unapproved promotion of FDA-regulated products as a preventive measure or treatment for an illness, ailment, or abnormal physical state is prohibited.
According to the aforementioned standards, marketing executives of media organisations, both print and electronic, must adhere to the FDA advertising restrictions in order to avoid endangering the public’s health by promoting phony goods.
We must all take action to ensure the safety of the public’s health,
Dear Editor
I wish to draw attention to the increasing number of children begging for alms on the streets of the capital.
This has become a common sight at traffic lights, markets and busy intersections.
Many of these children should be in school, but instead they spend long hours under the hot sun and in dangerous traffic.
Sadly, they are sometimes found in the company of their parents, the same people expected to ensure that these minors spend those hours in school.
These children are usually exposed to accidents, exploitation and abuse. The situation does not only affects their future but also reflects poorly on our society.
I appeal to parents and guardians to take greater responsibility for their children.
I also urge the government, the Department of Social Welfare and other relevant agencies to intensify efforts to rescue these children, provide them with education and support their families where necessary.
I also wish to employ the ‘Samaritans’ who gives money to these children to also spend a few seconds to ask these children why they beg for alms on the street and not going to school.
Getting these children off the street must now be seen as a shared responsibility.
Every child deserves a safe home, quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full potential. By working together, we can reduce street begging and give these children a brighter future.
From Eugene Ampiaw,
Dansoman
In addition to the severe flooding that Accra is already experiencing a major sanitation crisis is imminent as the Kpone dump approaches closure.
Currently, there are now just two significant disposal sites in the area: the Adepa dumpsite in the Ga West Municipal Assembly, which is close to Amasaman, and the Kpone Waste Landfill.
Inquiries so far, revealed that the Kpone site is almost at capacity and will likely close in the next six months. As a result, waste is accumulating at local markets and municipal collection points throughout the capital.
The situation has been made worse by the recent terrible floods, and immediate action is required to prevent the impending crisis.
The fundamental issue is that accumulating uncollected waste during rainy seasons poses significant threats to public health, including the possibility of cholera, typhoid, and malaria outbreaks.
Subsequent investigations showed that the Kpone plant, which was initially built to manage 500 tonnes of waste per day, has been handling almost twice that much, shortening its lifespan.
Many towns’ waste collection operations have been badly impacted by this looming shutdown, and the fact that Accra has few disposal choices is even more disturbing.
Now, waste collection vehicles face abnormally long queues at the Kpone site, and residents complain that most of the tricycles, referred to as “Aboboyaa,” leave rubbish uncollected in residential and commercial areas.
Although the Zoompak waste transfer station was authorised by the government to reopen in order to help manage daily waste volumes, it is still unable to handle the enormous volumes of waste generated every day.
According to Dr. Peter Kwesi Dagadu, Managing Director of the Landfills Company Limited, managing the capital’s expanding waste burden has become extremely difficult due to the scarcity of disposal facilities, especially in light of the city’s fast population increase and rising waste production.
As a result, the situation has put a great deal of strain on the infrastructure already in place and jeopardizes attempts to keep Accra’s waste management system sustainable and effective.
The Spectator agrees with him that new infrastructure for disposing of waste is desperately needed, as a change to a more environmentally friendly waste management techniques.
It is admirable that he suggests Ghana adopt recycling and garbage recovery as a long-term solution to the nation’s sanitation problems.
We therefore, implore the government to support this recycling objective by enacting strict laws, regulations, investments, and enforcement measures to enhance waste management nationwide.
In order to address the waste problem as quickly as possible, everyone must be involved, including private waste management companies, individuals, and households.
