-Health products Advertisements banned in Liberia
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Liberia Medical and Dental Council (LMDC) has vowed to begin sternly clamping down on violations of medical ethics by health practitioner and has announced a ban on the advertisement of health products both in the print and electronic media.
The declaration was made late this week in Monrovia by a veteran Liberian medical doctor and Registrar General of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Moses G. Y. Pewu.
This threat to take action comes in the wake of a number of claims of unethical practices coming from both patients and relatives against some health workers and/or health facilities as well as an increase in advertisements of health products in the local media.
Dr. Pewu told the weekly government press briefing at the Information Ministry that no Physician, Surgeon, Dental surgeon, or any allied health workers be it a Physician Assistance, a nurse, laboratory technician and traditional medicine practitioner shall be found advertising health products in the electronic and print media.
The Medical and Dental Council official disclosed that any violator of this law shall severely be punished in line with the ethical guidelines of the Council.
The Registrar General of the Liberia Medical and Dental Council added that no health professional shall allow his or her name or title to be used in any commercial advertisement within the republic of Liberia and a health professional shall not make any media publication about pending treatment.
He explained that only the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare or the Liberia Medical and Dental Council has the sole authority as Government representative on all health matters to advertise in the media on health matters in consistent with 3.1, 6.10, 6.11 and 6.12 of the Code of conduct on health professional in Liberia.
Consistent with 2.1 of the code of conduct on health professional in Liberia, Dr. Pewu said that a health practitioner shall be guilty of infamous conduct if he or she is found to be under the influence of alcohol while on duty or in any public place.
Health practitioners must also not be under the influence of substances of abuse while on job.
Explaining 2.1 further Dr. Pewu further said that if a health workers is found to be engaged in commercialization of any patient secret, if a health practitioner is found to have gross or prolonged neglect of duty, if a health practitioner is found to have disregard of personal responsibilities to a patients.
And it also includes If found making demands or accepting fees from patients relatives contrary to existing laws.
Liberia Medical and Dental Council Registrar General added that any health professional found in violation of any of the articles embedded in the code of conduct shall be liable to severe punishment by the Liberia medical and Dental Council in any of the following ways singularly or combined as the council sees fit, based on the gravity of the case.
The following actions shall be taken, he said.
They include the withdrawal of license, payment of fine, Denial of license to practice and prosecution in court of Competent jurisdiction based on recommendation by the Liberia Medical and Dental Council.