Virtual Launch of the Med Safety Mobile App for Reporting Adverse Drug Reactions and Adverse Events Following immunization in Sierra Leone. 21/11/2021
The Pharmacy Board of Sierra
Leone (PBSL) on the 21st. November 2022 launched the Med Safety App for
reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and adverse events following
immunization in Sierra Leone. The virtual launch brought officials from the
Ministry of Health and Sanitation International partners from World Health
Organisation (WHO) Geneva Medicine and Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) Paul
Erhlich Institut Germany Uppsala Monitoring Center Sweden WHO Country
Representative Health Care Professionals from within and out of the country. Representatives
made brief statements from these Institutions and the launch which climaxed
the event.
The Chairman of the event Dr.
Onome Thomas Abiri (Head of Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance) in
his opening statement outlined the progress made so far in setting up The
National Pharmacovigilance Center in Sierra Leone and how the Agency became an
associate member of the International Drug Safety Programme in 2005 and full
membership in 2007. He stated that the Paul Erhlich Institut (PEI) in Germany
has been of tremendous support to the Agency since 2017. They were able to do
thorough assessments and identified gaps referred to in the IDPs. One of the gaps identified by PEI were
issues around underreporting and lack of a robust on-line system that supports
data risk assessment and signal detection. In his concluding statement he
mentioned already existing reporting tools for ADR and AEFI some of which are
paper-based as well as an online platform
e.g. ODK in collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunisation.
Representatives from the
International Partners were given the opportunity to make a 5min statements.
UPPSALA Monitoring Centre. ‘The
UMC Medsafety App is far more accurate and efficient in reporting ADR and
AEFI. The App would assist the Agency in generating more adverse events reports
in the journey of Pharmacovigilance’.
United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: ‘We
believe the app will make it easier for health care professionals and the
general public to report problems with their medicines to the PBSL. This Med
Safety App is now used in many countries in the World and MHRA has contributed
greatly to get the App to this level. MHRA also believe that consumer reporting
would contribute to the total number of ADR reports to be generated.’
Paul Erhlich Institut (PEI): ‘Paul Erlich Institute collaborates
with the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone through its Global Health Protection
Project. PEI is quite convinced that PBSL would reach Maturity Level 3 through
our collective engagements. The Med Safety App would bring out high quality
reports on adverse events.’
Demonstration of the MedSafety
App’s features was carried out and the basic steps to download the App are; (1)
Open the play store (Android) or the App store (2) Search for ‘Med Safety’ (3)
Tap the Med Safety’ icon (4) Tap to
‘Install’ to the download the App (5) Tap ‘Open’ (6) Select a region in this
case Sierra Leone. Sometimes it selects automatically depending on the settings
you already have on your phone. (7)Click’ continue as guest’ or ‘create an
account’. (8) Report side effects and quality issues of drugs.
Launching of the App: The Head of Agency Dr James P.
Komeh in the launch applauded the Department of Pharmacovigilance and Clinical
Trials for their tremendous strive towards the Med Safety App and promised to
support the department in the roll out of the App at regional level. He mentioned
that the App is a faster way to report safety issues of medical products
anywhere and at any time with the use
of an android mobile phone.
The newly launched Med Safety App
is expected to improve the safety of medicinal products in Sierra Leone. The
Med Safety Mobile App is designed to encourage reporting of harmful unexpected
side effects of medicinal products by consumers patients and health care
professionals. The app also provides users with safety information and allows
them to create their own personal account. Currently adverse reaction
reporting of medicinal products is carried out by using a paper-based reporting
form and a web-based online link. The new Med Safety App will complement
already existing ADR reporting tools.
The Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) rightly put access to safe effective quality and affordable essential
medicines and vaccines for all as a key health target to be achieved by 2030. In
our ever-changing technologically driven world it is imperative that we
explore quick easy and innovative ways to encourage the reporting of side effects and other drug reactions. The Med
Safety App initiative is part of efforts by WHO to support the PBSL to develop
pioneering tools and strengthen capacity for monitoring and responding safety issues associated with existing or new
health products or technologies.
Closing Remarks:In his closing remarks the Deputy Registrar of the
Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone emphasized that this is the right step to
consolidate the Pharmacy Board’s position within the global regulatory
community. ‘We’ve been reporting but we’ve been using paper base. With this
app we are definitely going to be increasing the quantum.’ He called on all to help in popularizing this app. ‘We are
going to effectively harness the MedSafety App through sensitisation on the use
of the App and trainings for health care providers. Biggest thanks to the PVG Department for
making this day a priceless process. Thank you very much for coming God Bless
and have a blessed day.’