The Kwara State Hospitals Management Board (KW-HMB) has announced plans to commence a free bi-annual medication review and reconciliation exercise for residents across the state, as part of efforts to promote the safe and appropriate use of medicines and prevent avoidable drug-related complications.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr. Abdulraheem Malik, disclosed this today in his office, explaining that the initiative would provide residents taking medications with an opportunity to have their medicines professionally reviewed and reconciled twice every year.
According to him, the first exercise will be held at a designated venue, with the date and other details to be announced by the Board.
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Under the initiative, Kwarans and residents of the state taking any form of medication will be entitled to a comprehensive review and reconciliation of their medicines free of charge.
Dr. Malik explained that the exercise will be conducted by pharmacists in collaboration and coordination with doctors and consultants, with the aim of ensuring that patients’ medications remain appropriate for their medical conditions and treatment plans.
He said the programme would help identify potentially harmful drug-drug, drug-disease and drug-food interactions, as well as inappropriate doses, contraindications, duplicated or unnecessary medications and other medication-related problems.
“As pharmacists, we encounter patients on a daily basis who continue taking medications even after they have recovered, without knowing when to discontinue them. Some take medicines simply because a friend or neighbour uses or recommends them.
“Many elderly patients also take multiple medications for different health conditions, which can sometimes complicate their treatment. These situations make medication review and reconciliation extremely important.”
Dr. Malik stressed that the initiative is designed to empower patients with the right information about their medicines while reducing preventable complications associated with inappropriate medication use.
He urged patients participating in the exercise to come with all their current medications, prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and available medical records to enable pharmacists to conduct a comprehensive assessment.
The initiative, according to the Board, reflects the Kwara State Government’s commitment to patient-centred healthcare and stronger pharmaceutical care, while promoting the safer, more effective and rational use of medicines.
The Kwara State Hospitals Management Board therefore urged members of the public, particularly patients taking multiple medications, to take advantage of the free service once the date and venue are announced.
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