BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Members of the public are reminded not to be easily influenced by advertisements on sale of medicinal products on the market through the social media which do not meet the approved standards and specifications, Brudirect reported.
The Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awg Haji Mohamad Yusof, cautioned that medicinal products sold without permit can bring hazards and risks of negative effects to consumers’ health and well-being.
The Minister of Health made the reminder at the Launching ceremony of the Pharmacy Open Day and Roadshow. According to Yang Berhormat Pehin, in 2013 until March this year, the government had spent 59.8 million dollars on supplies of medicines and vaccines needed for treatment of patients among the community.
What is disappointing, according to Yang Berhormat Pehin, is that some patients do not take the medicines provided as prescribed by the doctor, resulting in their illnesses becoming worse and chronic, and making them hard to treat or control. This will not only be a hazard and a burden to the patients themselves but also to their families and nation, because a worsening state of health would need a more intensive treatment that could take a longer time and incur the burden of high cost for the government to bear. Such negative attitude should not exist as it is wasteful in terms of medicinal expenses, while medicines are meant to help in the treatment of diseases.
At the ceremony, the Book on Brunei Darussalam National Medicinal Policy was launched. The book serves as the framework for more systematic coordination in Pharmaceutical activities in the country and as a source of reference that is more proactive, innovative and dynamic as well as responsive towards changes and developments of the global and technological scenario. It contains the medicinal policy what will further strengthen the role of the Ministry of Health through the Pharmaceutical Service Department in protecting public safety with the use of quality and effective medicines towards achieving optimum health and well-being of the community.
The four-day Pharmacy Open Day and Roadshow is organised by the Pharmaceutical Service Department with the objective of disseminating information on its services to the public. It is also to improve knowledge in medicines, health and cosmetic products, as well as to promote pharmacy-related professions. Themed, “Know Your Medicines – Ask the Pharmacists”, the Pharmacy Open Day is held in conjunction with World Pharmacy Day, observed every 25th of September.