Ghana to benefit from USP’s quality healthcare programme
Ghana has been chosen among five other countries in sub-Sahara Africa to benefit from a quality-assured medicines programme undertaken by the US Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention.
The programme, which will be on pilot bases under USP’s Technical Assistance Programme (TAP), will give Ghana a comprehensive package of pharmaceutical reference standards, documentary standards and technical training.
According to a press release copied to ghanabusinessnews.com on February 9, 2011, it said “Under the TAP, participating countries will receive a comprehensive package of pharmaceutical reference standards (very pure physical samples used as reference chemicals to test medicines), documentary standards (written specifications) and technical training.”
It added “This assistance will further enable participating countries in their efforts to improve the quality of medicines for their citizens”.
According to the release, Roger L. Williams, Chief Executive Officer of USP said in order to improve public healthcare, it is crucial to test essential medicines using good quality standards.
Commenting, Mr Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Board said, “We have worked extensively with USP to identify and remove substandard and counterfeit drugs from our markets” adding “This new USP initiative will help us to test drugs against the most modern and scientifically established standards, which in turn will strengthen our public health programs”.
Other countries to benefit from USP’s programme are Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
By Ekow Quandzie