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28.08.2004 General News

Pharmacists urged to stay and serve Ghana

28.08.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Kumasi, Aug 28, GNA - Mr Kofi Baryeh, the Ashanti Regional chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), has advised newly trained pharmacists to stay in the country and accept the challenge to serve mother Ghana.

He said one of the biggest challenges facing the country was the brain drain of health professionals to seek greener pastures at the expense of the people whose money was used to train them. Mr Baryeh gave the advice at an awards and dinner dance for pharmacy house officers of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on Friday.

It was organised by the Department of pharmacy of KATH to reward hardworking house officers for their dedicated services. Mr Baryeh said about 60 per cent of the country's pharmacists left the shores last year to seek greener pastures abroad. He said pharmacists had a critical role to play in the health delivery system, especially, with the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Mr Baryeh also urged the newly trained pharmacists to show interest in public health issues by undertaking health education programmes to promote good health in their communities. Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, Chief Executive of KATH, said the vision of the hospital was to become a centre of excellence in the next four years.

He said under that vision the patient had been placed at the centre of affairs and said all health professionals in the hospital were being encouraged to work so as to ensure that the vision was realised in the shortest possible time.

Mrs Elizabeth Anima-Appiah, Head of Training of the Pharmacy Department of KATH, reminded the officers of their roles and responsibilities in society and urged them to live up to the expectation of their profession and society.

Eleven house officers were rewarded for their meritorious services. They received refrigerators, microwave ovens, sound systems, TV sets, cash donations and certificates.

The overall best All Round Intern Award went to Miss Angela Asante Yeboah who received a refrigerator and a certificate.

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