Salt production and iodization practices among artisanal salt producers in selected districts within the Greater Accra and Central Regions of Ghana.

Background: This study was conducted to assess salt production and iodization practices by artisanal salt producers located at six districts across Greater Accra and Central regions. Methods: One Hundred and Sixty-Six (166) salt miners in Greater Accra and Central Regions were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and their production sites inspected for salt iodization practices. Results: The study revealed that salt iodization is not practiced among majority (69.28 %) of artisanal salt producers. They were conversant with salt iodization (93.98 %) and had fair knowledge on the health effects on consumers when iodine is absent in salt. Some of the producers attributed the nonadherence to the mandatory salt iodization to the unavailability of potassium iodate/iodide on the market. All artisanal salt producers interviewed utilise the solar evaporation method for salt production. The evaporation is done on tarpaulin/polyethylene lined pans and concrete pans. The tarpaulin/polyethylene lined pans were predominantly used in Greater Accra, and concrete pans in Central region. Conclusion: For Ghana to increase availability of iodized salt on the market and improve household consumption of iodized salt, regulatory authorities need to enforce the laws and regulations on salt iodization and also create the enabling environment for artisanal salt producer to have access to potassium iodate for production.

Evaluation of surveillance system for post market activities on pre-packaged foods in Greater Accra Region, Ghana, 2021.

Objectives: This evaluation was to assess the usefulness and attributes of the surveillance system for post market activities on pre-packaged foods in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and also to determine if the systems objectives are being met. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for the evaluation. Data/records on Food Market Surveillance collected between 2018 and 2020 was reviewed and key stakeholders involved in the Food Market Surveillance interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Surveillance operations were also observed. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive summary statistics. Information gathered from interviews were put under themes. Result: Some policy decision taken were based on analysis of data from the surveillance system. The system is useful in detecting trends signaling changes on label of registered prepackage food products. The system can permit assessment of the compliance of levels of importers/manufacturers; however, such analysis was not done. The system involves single step notification and processing steps and can incorporate data from other systems. Some retailers perceived the system as a hindrance to business. Completion of notification forms takes 2-5 min and 1-5 working days to process and take regulatory action. The surveillance system had a data accuracy and completeness of 94.6% (194/205) and 94.1% (193/205) respectively with less than 0.1% (3/95) double entries. The system did not have any data validation process or team in place. Conclusion: The system was partially meeting its intended objectives and found useful despite some gaps and challenges observed. The system is simple, flexible, accepted by most of the stakeholders and covers almost the entire districts in the Greater Accra Region. We recommend that data validation process or team be instituted to ensure reliability of data generated for policy and regulatory decisions.

Preliminary findings from stimulated spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions during COVID-19 pandemic: an experience from Ghana.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is limited information on the safety of drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: Objective of this study is to describe the pattern of stimulated spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports received from healthcare professionals for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in Ghana and lessons learnt particularly for low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: This is a study of individual case safety reports (ICSRs) received from healthcare professionals between 1st April 2020 to 31st July 2020 in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in Ghana. The ICSRs were retrieved from the SafetyWatch System and descriptive statistics used to describe the ADRs by System Organ Classification and Preferred Term. RESULTS: Information was received from 40 COVID-19 Treatment Centres across the country with 9 centres submitting a total of 53 ICSRs containing 101 ADRs; approximately two ADRs per ICSR. Females accounted for 29(54.7%) of the ICSRs and males 24(45.3%). Newly reported ADRs of interest were one report each of tremor for doxycycline; scrotal pain, dyspnoea, gait disturbances and dysgeusia for chloroquine; and dry throat, hyperhidrosis, restlessness and micturition frequency increased for hydroxychloroquine. A strong spontaneous system with the availability of focal persons at the Treatment Centres played a key role in reporting ADRs during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: This is the first experience with spontaneous reporting during COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. The profile of most of the ADRs reported appears consistent with what is expected from the summary of product characteristics. A study with a larger sample size with well-defined denominator in future studies is paramount in determining the relative risk of these medications in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. FUNDING: None declared.

Preliminary findings from stimulated spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions during COVID-19 pandemic: an experience from Ghana

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is limited information on the safety of drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19. Objective: Objective of this study is to describe the pattern of stimulated spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports received from healthcare professionals for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in Ghana and lessons learnt particularly for low- and middle-income countries. Methods: This is a study of individual case safety reports (ICSRs) received from healthcare professionals between 1st April 2020 to 31st July 2020 in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients in Ghana. The ICSRs were retrieved from the SafetyWatch System and descriptive statistics used to describe the ADRs by System Organ Classification and Preferred Term. Results: Information was received from 40 COVID-19 Treatment Centres across the country with 9 centres submitting a total of 53 ICSRs containing 101 ADRs; approximately two ADRs per ICSR. Females accounted for 29(54.7%) of the ICSRs and males 24(45.3%). Newly reported ADRs of interest were one report each of tremor for doxycycline; scrotal pain, dyspnoea, gait disturbances and dysgeusia for chloroquine; and dry throat, hyperhidrosis, restlessness and micturition frequency increased for hydroxychloroquine. A strong spontaneous system with the availability of focal persons at the Treatment Centres played a key role in reporting ADRs during the pandemic. Conclusion: This is the first experience with spontaneous reporting during COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. The profile of most of the ADRs reported appears consistent with what is expected from the summary of product characteristics. A study with a larger sample size with well-defined denominator in future studies is paramount in determining the relative risk of these medications in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients