The Food and Drugs Board (FDA) has launched a mobile application designed to allow customers to report to the FDA on the side effects of medicines, vaccines and other health products they may have experienced.
The mobile application software called ‘Med Safety App,’ was designed to increase the communication between the FDA and the consumers as well as to relieve some of the burden on the paper and online based platform of filing reports.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health, in a speech read on his behalf at the launch on Wednesday commended the FDA for employing technology to aid in the faster reportage of problems associated with medicines at no extra cost.
He noted that Ghana was among a few countries in the world to launch the Med Safety Mobile App and lauded the FDA for achieving this feat.
“It is the right time for the FDA to launch the mobile app for reporting side effects of medicines by healthcare professionals and the general public to further promote its mandate of ensuring safe use of medicines,” he added.
The minister added that the app would make it easier to report side effects of medicines and health products as well as provide up-to-date safety information from the FDA on all issues.
He urged Ghanaians who own smart phones to download the app to access medicines available on the market to know whether they are detrimental to their health.
Mrs Delese A. A. Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, in her welcome address thanked the partners, such as the World Health Organisation and the Embassy of Japan that aided in the development of the app.
She noted that the app would improve communication between major stakeholders and explained that the report when sent to the FDA would allow it to re-evaluate the medicines to determine whether they should be redesigned or taken off the market.
“This app provides a positive intervention to actively involve patients in the post-approval of medical products process and in ensuring that marketed products continue to be safe in order to serve their healthcare needs,” she added.
She encouraged Ghanaians to download the app as it was available on all platforms but noted that for those who did not own smart phones, they could still use the toll free number or report through the text messaging system.
“This app will go a long way to
BY FREDERICK GADESE-MENSAH
