Pharmacy Board's Pharmacovigilance Department concludes a day training for Intern-Pharmacists Freetown Sierra Leone

The Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone (PBSL) through the department of Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Trials has successfully conducted a comprehensive pharmacovigilance training session for intern-pharmacists on January 6 2026 aimed at strengthening the country's drug safety monitoring system.

The one-day training organized by the Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Trials (PVCT) department equipped the new cohort of intern-pharmacists with essential knowledge and practical skills in identifying reporting and managing adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication errors.

Dr. James P. Komeh Head of Agency at PBSL emphasized the critical nature of the training during his opening remarks describing it as a privilege for the interns. He charged participants to take ownership of pharmacovigilance practice and spread drug and vaccine safety awareness in their respective placements noting their pivotal role in patient safety.

The training covered three core areas: an introduction to pharmacovigilance principles delivered by Dr. Onome Thomas Abiri Head of PVCT; medication errors and prevention strategies presented by Dr. Fawzi Thomas; and a hands-on practical session on using the VigiMobile application for reporting ADRs and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs) conducted by Dr. Thomas A. Conteh Head of the PV Clinical Practice Unit.

Dr. Abiri provided historical context on the evolution of pharmacovigilance globally and within Sierra Leone stressing the frontline responsibility of pharmacists in safety reporting within the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring.

Pharm Esther Foday Head of Policy Standard and Policy Practice Department (PSPD) announced that intern-pharmacists would be assigned specific ADR and AEFI reporting tasks as part of their mandatory quarterly assessment underscoring the importance of active participation in the national pharmacovigilance system.

The training featured an interactive question-and-answer session where interns sought clarification on reporting mandates procedures for submitting incomplete information feedback mechanisms and responsibilities in community pharmacy settings.

Participants were tasked with downloading and registering on the VigiMobile application actively monitoring and reporting suspected ADRs and AEFIs during their internship rotations and championing a culture of medication safety within their assigned units.

The session which concluded at noon is expected to significantly enhance adverse event reporting rates and strengthen Sierra Leone's national pharmacovigilance framework as the newly trained intern-pharmacists begin their practical rotations across the country's healthcare facilities.