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Report unexpected adverse drug reactions to FDA or health centres – Acting E/R FDA boss
The Acting Eastern Regional Head of the Food and Drugs Authority(FDA), Madam Anita Owusu Kuffour has advised the general public to quickly report issues of unexpected adverse drug reactions to the FDA or health centres and pharmacies where the medicines were supplied.
She said reporting the adverse drug reactions would enable her outfit to assess the safety of the drug products and ensure medicinal products were registered, wholesome and meet the prescribed standards.
“The general public is advised to quickly report adverse effects of drugs that are unexpected and they can report to our offices, clinics, or can use the MED Safety app to report so that we can ensure that all products found on the market are safe for consumption,” she stated.
Madam Kuffour gave the advice during a public engagement organised in Koforidua to educate the general public on the need to report such issues and educate medicine sellers on how to properly handle medicines.
The sensitization was also aimed at enabling the FDA reach out to people in low-income levels of society who patronize such medicinal products and increase their awareness of medicine safety and improve reporting of adverse drug reactions.
Madam Kuffour revealed that over the years, her outfit had engaged in active promotion of public health and safety through effective regulation and the utilization of various communication strategies and tools to create the needed awareness among consumers about the safety of regulated products.
She said during active surveillance of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) from COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 and 2022 which was implemented with the help of Promoting Quality of Medicines Plus Programme (PQM+), they identified that most issues on AEFIs were reported under active surveillance which was costly and difficult to sustain.
She stated that improving spontaneous reporting would reduce the need for active surveillance and save limited resources, hence the need to encourage the public to report such issues at the clinics, CHPS zones, health centres and her outfit where such reporting was low.
“Some drugs products can get into trade in the country as a result of our porous borders and is the FDA’s duty to make sure products on the market are wholesome, registered and meet the prescribed standard. This will help to retrieve them from the market, hence this education,” she added.
Madam Kuffour advised importers, distributors and whole sellers to make sure that the products offered for sale have been duly registered, adding that the FDA was committed to offering help to register their products and give them the technical know-how to bring the products into law.
She also advised drug sellers to desist from selling drugs in buses and making claims about products that were not approved, and advised them to use appropriate ventures to sell or sell at designated placed. She further advised the general public to desist from buying such drugs.
For his part, a Senior Regulatory Officer at the FDA, Peter Alordji advised medicine sellers to ensure proper handling of products and see to its safety, efficacy, as well as the quality of all medicinal products.
He also charged the public to report immediately symptoms that were unexpected after taking drugs to FDA or supplier of the medicine to ensure proper regulatory action and prevent people from consuming substandard medicines.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
