From rushing to collect prescriptions to stopping medication once symptoms disappear, the way many Ghanaians approach medicines could be undermining their health. Experts has therefore urged the public to pay greater attention to how medicines are prescribed, stored and used, warning that taking medication without understanding the instructions can compromise treatment and create avoidable health risks.
The caution was raised during Episode 21 of the Timekeeping Dialogue Series under the theme ‘’Every Minute Counts- When Time is a live saver’’ which explored everyday Ghanaian attitudes towards time and how that influences healthcare decisions.
Hosted by Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, a communication for change advocate, the session featured Dr Akosua Bandoh, a pharmacist with Bandy Chemists, and Dr Bright Sasu Baabu, Medical Director of Acacia Medical Centre.
According to the experts a key concern was the tendency to treat medicine as a quick solution rather than part of a broader healthcare process. For some patients, the priority is simply to obtain the medication, get home and return to their daily activities. Others discontinue treatment as soon as they feel better, miss doses or fail to seek clarification when instructions are unclear.
Dr. Akosua Bandoh said these habits could affect the effectiveness of treatment, emphasising that medication is only beneficial when used correctly.
She explained that the timing and frequency of medication are carefully determined by factors such as how a drug works, how quickly the body eliminates it and the concentration needed in the bloodstream to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Consequently, taking medication at irregular intervals, changing prescribed doses or ignoring instructions about food could compromise treatment outcomes.
“As a patient, it is your right to ask questions. Please don’t be in a hurry to leave the pharmacy,” she advised.
She encouraged patients to use pharmacy visits as opportunities to understand their treatment, asking questions about dosage, timing, possible side effects and foods or other substances that should be avoided while taking particular medicines.
The pharmacist also highlighted the importance of paying attention to medication expiry dates and storage conditions. She cautioned that some medicines have a shorter usable life after opening or preparation, even when the date printed on the packaging has not been reached.
She advised patients to store medicines in cool, dry places away from direct sunlight and heat, retain them in their original packaging and keep them out of children’s reach. She also warned against combining herbal preparations with prescription medicines without professional guidance, as some combinations could result in harmful interactions.
Dr. Sasu Baabu, on his part cautioned that the disappearance of symptoms did not always mean an underlying condition has been fully treated.
“Feeling better is not the same as being better,” he said, urging patients to follow prescribed treatment and consult their doctors or pharmacists before making changes to their medication.
He noted that prematurely stopping antibiotics, for example, could leave infections incompletely treated and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Patients who miss doses, he advised, should seek professional guidance rather than independently doubling subsequent doses or changing their treatment schedules.
The Timekeeping Project is a social change and Communications for Development (C4D) advocacy initiative spearheaded by TLC – Transformational Leadership Concepts. The initiative seeks to cultivate a stronger culture of punctuality and respect for time in Ghana by addressing the persistent challenge of lateness and its impact on productivity, accountability, and national development.
Convened by Togbe Kwasinyi Kakakloko Agyeman V, Chief of Adidome, and Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, a Communications for Development advocate, the project brings together traditional leaders, policymakers, professionals, civil society actors, and development practitioners to champion positive behavioural change and promote time consciousness as a catalyst for personal, organizational, and national progress.
