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Parents advised against over use of left over medicine
Parents and caregivers have been cautioned against the practice of giving leftover medicines prescribed for one child to another, as it poses serious health risks.
Dr. Agnes Twumasi, a pharmacist at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, explained that although some illnesses in children may present similar symptoms, the underlying causes could be different, making it dangerous to administer drugs without medical advice.
“Let’s say a child may have been prescribed a drug for a particular condition and responded well, but giving the same medicine to another child who shows similar symptoms because it worked for the first could be harmful. You are ending up masking the symptoms,” she warned.
She gave the caution during a panel discussion organised by the hospital in Accra to mark World Patient Safety Day on the theme: “Safe care for every new-born and every child.”
While supporting the use of first aid in emergencies, Dr. Twumasi stressed the need to administer the correct dose of medicines to children to avoid harm.
“Even small measurement errors with liquid medications can result in overdosing, which contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
Parents and caregivers must not replace medical consultation with home prescribing,” she said.
The pharmacist further advised that medicines should be stored under the right conditions to preserve their efficacy.
According to her, drugs must be kept in their original containers, away from sunlight and moisture, and in locked cabinets out of the reach of children, who often mistake tablets and capsules for sweets.
Addressing ‘home prescribers’ including friends, relatives, or neighbours who casually recommend drugs for children, Dr. Twumasi cautioned: “We shouldn’t be too quick to give advice just because something worked before.”
“Every child’s case is different, and insisting on wrong practices only puts children at risk.”
By Abigail Annoh
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The Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Abena Osei Asare has expressed concerns about the failure of the Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Mr. Paul Adjei to honour invitation of the Committee to assist in dealing with abandoned projects cited in the 2024 Auditor-General’s report.
She emphasised that some of the projects have been abandoned for more than 20 years and it kept reoccurring in the Auditor-General’s report yearly, stressing that the GETFund Administrator could assist by prioritising these projects.
However, he has failed to personally appear before the Committee since the commencement of the Committee’s public hearing in the 9th Parliament.
According to the 2024 Auditor-General’s report on Pre-University Educational Institutions, nine (9) Institutions with 16 projects awarded by the GET Fund Secretariat had been abandoned/delayed for a period ranging between three (3) and 28 years.
Some of the affected schools include Adanwomoase Senior High School (Boys and Girls dormitory abandoned for 12 years), Atoa Senior High School (Home Economics Block abandoned for 27 years), Beposo Senior High School (Dinning Hall and Kitchen Complex abandoned for 10 years and lastly KNUST Senior High School (Three storey classroom block abandoned for 20 years).
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy continued its oversight responsibilities with a working visit to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) yesterday.
Chairman of the Committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, said the visit formed part of efforts to familiarize members with the Authority’s operations and to explore ways Parliament could provide the necessary support.
He explained that the NPA’s work is focused on regulating Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector, a critical area for national energy security.
Mr. Bedzrah noted that the Committee is particularly interested in assessing whether the country has adequate petroleum stock to meet demand.
He noted that rising geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing US–Iran conflict, could have adverse effect on Ghana’s energy supply and pricing.
He further disclosed that the Committee intends to engage closely with the Authority on a proposed new petroleum bill.
According to him, a draft of the legislation will be reviewed and possibly presented to Parliament under a certificate of urgency.
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