Medicine Counter Assistants augment Pharmaceutical practice

The Pharmacy Council has certified over 2,000 Medicine Counter Assistants (MCAs) nationwide since the introduction of its training scheme two years ago.

Personnel in the pharmaceutical service delivery consist of Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Medicine Counter Assistants and Licensed Chemical Sellers. The MCAs provide standard auxiliary services in pharmacy shops and other pharmaceutical industries in the country.

Senior Inspection Pharmacist at the Pharmacy Council, Dan Amaning Danquah, says the MCAs undergo a six-month training course, after which they write an external examination for certification to provide various duties in accordance with the Pharmaceutical Act 1994 (Act 489)and other regulations prescribed by the Pharmaceutical Council.

He says the public-private partnership is in line with the Council's policy to regulate the pharmaceutical practice, adding the prescribed training would be extended to Licensed Chemical Sellers.

Mr. Danquah spoke to Luv Fm at the fourth graduation of MCA's in the Ashanti region. The 75 newly qualified medicine counter assistants were trained by G-Health Consult Institute, one of the 16 accredited training institutions.

Chief Executive, Getsa Tsikata says the programme has provided job opportunities for the youth in the pharmaceutical industry.

“A lot of these young people who have been trained were jobless; they were SSS graduates who didn't have the opportunity to go to the university and so this was an opportunity for them to get into the formal health sector” she noted.

Ms. Tsikata added “improving the image of pharmacy is the passion of G-Consult and that has been the objective that these people will go to help improve the image of pharmacy in the 21st Century”.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh