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Ghana: Media Launch of Short Film
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Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
25 April 2008
Posted to the web 25 April 2008
Jacquilline Afua Bondzi
The Goethe-Institut and Pedigree last week Thursday, 17th of April, 2008 launched a short film to kickstart a campaign, against the circulation of fake drugs on the Ghanaian market.
The event, held at the inner court of the Goethe-Institut premises at Cantonments, attracted practitioners from the media, diplomats, representatives of civil society, notably the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), and the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), and activists.
Special guests at the function included His Grace, the Primate of the Anglican Province of West Africa, the Most Reverend Justice Ofei Akrofi, the Honourable Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Gladys Ashitey, the President of the Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association of Ghana, Dr. Michael Agyekum-Addo, and Mr. Martin Loh, Director of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI).
Opening the program, the Director of the Goethe-Institut, Ms. Eleonore Sylla, explained that her institution took pride in its support of efforts, which use the arts to propel social causes. She commended mPedigree for its choice of video, as the appropriate vehicle to drive public awareness.
The short film, If Symptoms Persist, billed as the first documentary on the subject to be commissioned, and produced in Africa, (the BBC and CBS have in the past addressed the subject in the same medium), is a 3- minute probe into the fake drugs situation, relying on expert testimony, stakeholder opinions, and the reactions of ordinary consumers.
Some of the experts, who contributed to the documentary, are the Commissioner of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Mr. Emmanuel N. Doku, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foods & Drugs Board, Mr. Emmanuel Agyarko, the Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Mr. Adu-Darkwa Gyamfi, and the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Elias Kavineh Sory.
Dr. Alex Dodoo (President, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana), and Dr. Ferdinand Tay (President, Consumers Association of Ghana), are seen in the film issuing dire warnings about the consequences of leaving the fake drugs menace unchecked.
IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST also profiles Ghana's first successful trial of an end-user, anti-counterfeit platform, based on mobile telephony (itself a world first), with a view to mitigating despair about what is a deeply harrowing situation.
Interlacing stills, abstract media, panoramas and talking heads, IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST crafts an engaging overview of public, and private sector perspective, concern and reaction to the haunting presence, in the Ghanaian marketplace, of innocuously packaged "dangerous medicine".
The documentary was commissioned by mPedigree, an emerging stakeholder forum, around the subject of technology's role in the fight against fake drugs, funded by the Boston-based African Development Corporation, and the US National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance, and produced by the Ghanaian creative house, AD-VISORS.
Reacting to the film, Mr. Martin Loh advised social campaigners, who undertake to use video or cinema to stimulate public awareness, to be aware of the character of these powerful media, and to make best use of them, by enhancing the visual element.
Honourable Gladys Ashitey, Deputy Minister of Health, explained the Government's deep commitment, to ensuring that medicines in the health supply chain are of high quality.
She revealed that the Medical Transparency Alliance (MeTA), the new multi-stakeholder initiative, which will soon be operational in Ghana, (being one of six early pilot countries), will contribute to already ongoing efforts, to device a comprehensive response to the various challenges, that confront the quest, to ensure equitable access to quality drugs.
She noted that insofar as counterfeiting interfered with equitable access to quality medicines, the Ministry strongly welcomed initiatives, such as mPedigree's, that brings fresh approaches to the fight against fake drugs, within the context of a multi-stakeholder framework.
Mr. Philibert Kankye, Executive Secretary of CHAG, in comments made after the screening, underlined the importance of mass public education, to the effort to raise national awareness, about the fake drugs situation.
In support of that view, Dr. Agyekum Addo advised mPedigree to be mindful of the diverging educational and literacy levels, as well as socio-economic conditions, across Ghana, and to tailor its programs with that variation in focus.
He nevertheless indicated that pharmaceutical manufacturers in Ghana are very interested in embracing new concepts, in the fight against fake drugs, as long as they are economically feasible.
Acknowledging the support shown by stakeholders to the mPedigree initiative, Mr. Bright Simons, who consults on strategy for the mPedigree program, explained that at this early stage, mPedigree looked forward to increased dialogue with stakeholders, and intensify research to identify best paths forward, towards the goal of safe and quality medicines in Ghana.
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Ms. Eleonore Sylla closed the event, with a vote of thanks to the varied audience.
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