'We’ll help mitigate effects of Central Medical Stores fire'
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has pledged technical, professional and administrative assistance to mitigate the effects of the fire that gutted the Central Medical Stores in Tema.
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The President of the PSGH, Mr James Ohemeng Kyei, made the pledge when he led a delegation of members of the society to Tema last Tuesday to inspect the extent of damage caused to the CMS by the fire and explore ways in which the association could assist the Ministry of Health.
Members of the delegation were Mrs Gertrude Laryea, Mr Kwaku Kankam and Mr Samuel Donkor, all executive members, as well as Mr Dennis Sena Awitty, the Executive Secretary of the PSGH.
Mr Kyei pledged the PSGH’s support for all efforts that would be made by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to mitigate the loss.
He said as key stakeholders in the health sector, the PSGH would soon hold a meeting to work out a plan and also discuss how best the society could support the government and the public following the mishap.
Shock
Mr Kyei described the damage caused by the fire to both drugs and infrastructure as shocking and disturbing.
“We do not look at the damage in terms of only the contents but also the infrastructure. If you look at the loss, all of us must weep for Mother Ghana,” he said
He said the PSGH was in support of the investigative process that had been initiated by the Ministry of Health and would eagerly await its outcome.
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Medical stocks
He, however, expressed the hope that in the short- term, the loss might not affect health service delivery, particularly so as, by policy, the Central Medical Stores was supposed to stock 12 months of all essential medicines, while the regional medical stores held at least six months’ stock.
In the case of districts, they are required to hold a minimum of three months’ stocks, hence he did not foresee any challenges in the short-term.
Mr Kyei suggested that the committee investigating the cause of the fire should also find out why there was a large stock of expired drugs in the warehouse.