Pharmacovigilance – Eastern Cape

Training Facilitation led by Dr H Fomundum, Dr GMalangu, Dr G. Meyer, Dr B Dodokolwana and Mr. B Ngaleka (RTC, WSU, MTHATHA) Introduction This training was part of the on-site mentoring support offered to all the health workers at the ARV accredited service points by the Eastern Cape Regional Training Center. In this activity , the intention was to focus ARV treatment complications, drug-drug interactions and consequences of a re-awakened immune status ,general supply chain management (discussion of drug distribution systems in Eastern Cape as it relates to goal of delivering medications at primary care sites, and also on the training needs of health care workers involved in medication education i.e. Pharmacists, Pharmacy Assistants, Nurses, Community Health Workers trained as adherence consellors. This training was facilitated chiefly by Dr Henry Fomundum and supported by Dr Gustav Malangu and Dr G Meyer. The training was conducted in the Nursing College, with few participants teaching pharmacology to nurses. SERVICE POINTS COVERED AS PER PARTICIPANT
1. Madzikane KaZulu.
2.Lilita Nursing College (Amathole District)
3.EGCHC (EMPILWENI GOMPO)

4.Umlamli Hospital (Ukhahlamba District)
5.Victoria Hospital 6.MIDDLE DRIFT HEALTH CENTRE
7. BURGERSDORP HOSPITAL (UKHAHLAMBA)
8. COFIMVABA (INTSIKA YETHU LSA) NCORA CLINIC
9. MOLTENO HOSPITAL
10.MT AYLIFF HOSPITAL
11.TSOMO VILLAGE CLINIC
12. KUYASA
13.STUTTERHEIM HOSPITAL
14. DVDH
15. MIDDLEBURG (WILHELM STAHL HOSPITAL)
16.BUTTERWORTH GATEWAY CLINIC
17.NQAMAKWE HEALTH CENTRE
18.CLOETE JOUBERT HOSPITAL
19. MBASHE LSA (ELLIOTDALE HEALTH CENTRE)
20.ALL SAINTS HOSPITAL
21.CALA HOSPITAL
22.CATHCART HOSPITAL
23.LUKHANYI SUB DISTRICT
24.CRADOCK KLENBULLHOEK CLINIC SUMMARY AND COMMENTS:

Notes: Most of the sites are at the district level, where lack of pharmacists some even lacking pharmacists assistants. to support all forms of drug management and procurement were noted .There were complaints of lack of support from the higher levels of care as well. These challenges pose a serious threat t o getting appropriate and timely response to the query on dispensing care of the patients, proper counseling and managing antiretroviral adverse effects and in general pharmacists are resource for patients. Important also to note role of pharmacy personnel in ensuring supply of appropriate drugs for prevention and treatment of opportunistic and HIV related diseases and managing the procurement, distribution and use of drugs. Monitoring costs of drugs assist with budgeting and forecasting demand as this is a very important role pharmacist’s play. These challenges pose a problem to the hospital providing adequate up –referral support for the feeder sites, when the District hospital is the leading coordinating hospital in the accredited service point. Even though the training took only three days some participants felt that it would have been better if it lasted at least the whole week and looking at the test scores this showed little understanding of some aspects, some read their manuals well before the post test.