PSGH collaboration with FDA has spearheaded an intiative to tackle sustance abuse
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has spearheaded an initiative dubbed “Operation Storm: Rep Your SHS” in a spirited campaign against substance abuse.
The joint team donned the colours of their respective alma mater and brought a nostalgic trip down memory lane as they visited 11 junior and senior high schools across Cape Coast and its environs to safeguard the next generation.
Through interactive presentations, storytelling, and question-and-answer sessions, the team shed light on the dangers of opioid misuse and substance abuse among the students.
The students, on the other hand, learned how peer pressure, misinformation, and easy access to drugs could lead to poor academic performance, addiction, or even serious mental health challenges.
Beyond the science, the pharmacists used humour, relatable exexamplesand their own experiences to make the message stick, proving that health education did not have to be boring.
To ensure sustainability, the PSGH donated essential medicines while its Central Regional Branch and benevolent pharmacies added first aid boxes to every school visited.
Teachers and parents were also urged to step up supervision and keep open conversations about drugs with children.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Samuel Kow Donkoh, President of PSGH, stressed the importance of early prevention, saying they were committed to equipping young people with the knowledge to make informed choices that would protect their health and future.
He reiterated that tthisyear’sWorld Pharmacists Day was celebrated on the theme: “Think Health, Think Pharmacist” and coincided with PSGH’s Annual General Meeting and Conference at the University of Cape Coast, themed: “Strengthening Pharmacists for Primary Healthcare.”
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