A new national medicine policy is to be introduced soon into the country.
This is to actualize the commitment of the government of Ghana towards the goal of ensuring universal access to affordable essential medicines of assured quality for all persons living in the country.
The policy which is currently in its draft stage was reviewed by stakeholders at a day’s meeting in Accra on Thursday.
The National medicine policy document which provides direction to the pharmaceutical sector in the country was first revised in 1999.The last review was done in 2013.
Critical areas of the policy that came up for discussion include policy on procurement, policy on pricing, policy on rational use of medicines and strengthening of the Food and drugs Authority among others.
Speaking at opening session of the meeting, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt said inputs from stakeholders will be considered by a technical working group tasked to revise the old policy.
She said Health Ministry, the National development Planning commission as well as the parliamentary select committee on health will be consulted to finalize the policy for cabinet endorsement and implementation.
Dr. Afisah Zakariah is the director for policy planning, monitoring and evaluation at the ministry of health and she spoke to Live news reporter Doris Gaba.
INSERT—DORIS GABA
