IGSS trains health workers on safe medication practices through pharmacovigilance

The Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) held a regional training session in Chimaltenango titled "Institutional Pharmacovigilance: a commitment to patient safety." The event aimed to improve the detection, analysis, and reporting of adverse drug reactions, encouraging safer and more rational use of medications.

Dr. Oliver Josué Aroche Álvarez, acting head of the Central Therapeutic Directorate (DTC), explained that pharmacovigilance is an essential tool for identifying, evaluating, and preventing risks associated with medications. He said this helps ensure both patient safety and treatment effectiveness.

During the training, speakers discussed the objectives of pharmacovigilance and its effect on patient safety. Dr. Aroche emphasized: “Our objective is that health personnel recognize the importance of reporting any adverse reaction or problem related to medications, because each report strengthens the patient safety system.”

Topics included definitions of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), medication-related problems (MRPs), institutional reporting processes, report quality standards, and follow-up procedures with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS). These processes are guided by national legal frameworks as well as recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Healthcare professionals from various IGSS medical units took part in practical workshops on identifying and reporting ADRs and MRPs. Dr. Cecilia Yojcóm and Marvin Lima presented clinical cases highlighting common errors in reporting and stressed the need for complete, clear, and timely reports.

Additionally, Melisa Morales—a pharmaceutical chemist at DTC—led an interactive pre-test activity using Kahoot! to assess participants’ initial knowledge.

The process for forwarding reports to MSPAS was also explained according to WHO and PAHO guidelines. More than 50 healthcare professionals from Chimaltenango, Sololá, and Antigua Guatemala attended the event. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to patient safety and ongoing improvements in healthcare quality.