PV Newsletter V1 ISSUE 3 Nov 2011

The day I was called to participate in the launching of the establishment of drug safety monitoring center of the Ethiopia Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and Control Authority, I started to understand and visualize the magnitude of the problem, felt impressed and vowed to do my share of responsibility . Afterwards appreciation of the effort put on my continued adverse drug event (ADE) reporting was my only motivation. Continuing on his words of advice; Dr Kebede Gunjo, a highly devoted pharmacovigilante (one who is involved in drug safety monitoring activities) mentioned the following points. Despite they know that medicines have risks which calls for constant monitoring, health providers in the country are not fully participating in ADE reporting for so many reasons. Some of this are uncertainty in what to report and reluctance in reporting. To help alleviate this uncertaininity, awareness creation programmes targeting the health provider should be constantly carried out. Facility specific morning sessions could be one opportunity for this purpose. Also if available, live demonstration of an ADE victim in health facilities could sensitize all those concerned on the significance of the situation and initiate them to be involved. As to the reluctance observed by many , much attitude change is expected with the understanding that getting good therapeutic outcomes and maintaining patient safety is a collaborative approach and hence the part played by the health provider is the major one. Also use of printed materials, adequate education and information transmission using the media are important methods that could help in reaching the public. Dr Kebede wisely concluded by stressing the importance of continuous supervision and follow up of the interventions the Authority has carried and provision of support as needed