GIMSR Hosts Outreach Programme to Raise Awareness on Drug Safety
In a move to enhance patient safety and educate the community about medication risks, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSR) Hospital and Medical College held a community outreach programme at Bheemunipatnam on Wednesday. The event focused on the 5th National Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI), which aims to monitor adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and provide timely, evidence-based guidance to healthcare professionals and patients nationwide.
Speaking at the programme, T. Tulasi Madhuri, Head of the Department of Pharmacology, highlighted the systematic process of collecting, collating, and analyzing ADR reports to identify potential drug risks and support regulatory action. “The ultimate goal is to enhance drug safety and ensure that both patients and doctors have access to reliable information,” she said.
The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was inaugurated by GIMSR Pro Vice-Chancellor Gitanjali Batmanabane and Dean S.P. Rao. Dr. Madhuri added that PvPI had recorded over 8.5 lakh Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) by June 2024, reflecting increased awareness among healthcare professionals and the public about the importance of reporting drug-related side effects.
During the outreach, faculty members A. Syam Kumar, N. Sindhura, K.P. Poojitha, A. Krishna Sai, and G. Vineela led an interactive session at the Bheemili Community Health Centre. They advised participants to report suspected ADRs promptly and to seek medical attention if they experienced symptoms such as muscle burning, oral ulceration, skin rashes, or convulsions.
To engage the community further, medical interns performed a role play demonstrating how to identify, report, and prevent ADRs. Posters displayed in simple, easy-to-understand language highlighted common drug reactions, making the information accessible to patients and community members. The programme reinforces GIMSR’s dedication to patient safety and public health education, encouraging proactive medication monitoring and informed healthcare decisions.