Date: 2017-08-28 16:45:50 ID: 1703
Accra, Ghana, 25 August 2017 – The West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), from 24 to 25 August 2017, brought together in the ghanaian capital members of the committee of experts in pharmacopoeia. The objective of this second meeting was to prepare Volume 2 of West Africa Pharmacopoeia for the treatment of emerging and re-emerging diseases.
The meeting critically reviewed the work done on the first drafts of the monographs that were individually prepared.
More specifically, the experts examined the bibliography and reference sources, the status of completion of studies on toxicity and microscopy, on chromatographic and physicochemical imprints, as well as on the socio-anthropological perspectives medicinal plants. There were 15 plants out of 30, which were already under laboratory test for extraction, maceration and trials on animals.
There are on-going studies on microscopy, chromatographic and physicochemical imprints and they all benefit at the same time from laboratory work undertaken on substances and extracts from selected plants.
The meeting was happy to take note of discussions on the socio-anthropological and medical perspectives of medicinal plants in view of their role in education on ecology, natural therapies focusing on the individual person and documentation of the practices and products of traditional medical practitioners.
The status of completion of the work given to the experts was adjudged satisfactory and in line with the provisions of the road map for the publication, in 2018, of Volume 2 of the West Africa pharmacopoeia. Between now and November to December 2017, the rate of implementation of the tasks has been established at 85% for the monographs and studies on toxicity, at 80% for chromatographic imprints, microscopy/macroscopy and physicochemistry and at 70% for the socio-anthropological study.
The meeting congratulated the health authorities of Ghana, who mandated a representative to take part in the deliberations of the workshop. WAHO was called upon to take appropriate measures to allocate the necessary funds for the studies to be conducted, including laboratory work on 30 selected plants for the pharmacopoeia. The committee of experts expressed their heartfelt gratitude to WAHO for the support, which facilitated the regular organisation of the meetings to draft the West Africa pharmacopoeia – Volume II.