146 Pharmacists Inducted

Kwaku Anane Sarpong receiving his certificate of recognition from Joseph Nyoagbe while James Ohemeng Kyei (left) looks on

The Pharmaceutical Council of Ghana (PCG) has called on the Minister of Health, Sherry Ayittey, to place more emphasis on the health regulatory bodies in the sector, especially the Pharmacy Council.

The council noted that the ministry should begin to invest a little more than the current 1.3 percent of its budget on all regulatory bodies in the sector.

This according to the council, if well channelled into the regulatory bodies, can see improvements in the institutional and operational capacities of the regulatory bodies.

Joseph Nyoagbe, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council made this call at the induction ceremony of 146 newly qualified and registered pharmacists in Accra.

Giving his welcome address, Nyoagbe said the proportion of government direct support to the council had been dwindling in recent years, resulting in limited resources for executing of the council's mandate.

He said the dividends that would be accrued from such support to regulatory bodies would manifest in better quality of training of health professionals, better standards of professional practice and conduct and more improved and congenial regulatory environment which are necessary inputs in achieving the desired strategic health goals and outcomes.

'We are making strenuous efforts to keep pace. However, as a council, we pledge our commitment to sustain our regulatory responsibilities, we aspire to do better by optimizing our limited resources by adoption of risk based management practice and collaborate with sister regulatory and enforcement organizations,' he said.

He observed that the quality of health services, their efficiency, efficacy, accessibility and viability depends mostly on the performance of those who delivered, them adding that the performance of pharmacist was determined by the policies and practices within the health sector.

Mr Nyoagbe said the council had therefore stepped up its monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure that managers or owners of pharmacies take note of and comply with the laws and regulations that governed the practice of pharmacy as mandated by the Pharmacy Act 489.

He said the council currently had 2,327 pharmacist registered out of which 1652 are in the country with the other 675 in the Diaspora.

'This brings to the ratio one pharmacist to 14,528 persons a figure far below the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation of a pharmacist to 2000 people,' he said.

He therefore called on the newly-inducted pharmacists to become the change they wantes to see to make the profession better.

Alfred Tia Sugri, Deputy Minister of Health celebrated the new pharmacists and urged them to take interest in the patients they were going to serve in the profession they have chosen.

He said the ministry has recruited 105 pharmacists currently undergoing training to bridge the health equity challenge of the ministry.

Mr Sugri further urged the pharmacists to protect the interest of the public by holding their training and regulations in high esteem.

Professor Mahama Duwiejua, the guest of honour, encouraged the new pharmacists to make a commitment to their patients and wider population to enhance the value of medicines by ensuring that medicines were accessible, of good quality and used appropriately.

'Develop a positive attitude towards all-most people are and have the right attitude because it is human beings who will help you achieve your goals,' he said.

Kwaku Anane Sarpong won the Pharmacy Practice Award and the Overall Best Candidate in the 2012 Ghana Pharmacy Professional Qualifying Examination while John Yaw Avorgbedor was awarded the Best Student in Pharmacy Law and Ethics.

By Jamila A. Okertchiri & Celestine E. Mensah