Ghana has one pharmacist to 15,000 people
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, has expressed concern about unqualified pharmacists in both public and private facilities, who control restricted medicines such as class A and B medicines.
The Society is of the view that, the situation is a recipe for disaster, which puts the health and life of patients and members of the public at risk, urging the authorities to address the issues as a matter of urgency.
Mr Thomas Boateng Appiagyei, President of the Society at the launch of the 2016 World Pharmacists Day, which falls on September 25, on the theme: “ Pharmacists: Caring For You.”
The Society with support of Janssen, the Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson and Johnson, has earmarked a week to engage in various activities including public education in schools, prisons to educate them on hygiene-related diseases and prevention of worm infestation.
Mr Appiagyei said the role of pharmacists keep expanding in improved health of many communities.
He said most countries have integrated pharmacies and pharmacists in public health activities including health promotion and provision of public health interventions.
He said the pharmacist to population ratio in the country is about 1: 15,000, which is below the World Health Organisation recommendation of 1: 2,000.
Mr Appiagyei said more pharmacists would have to be employed by the Ministry of Health and stakeholders in the sector.
He said the Society has offered to play a key role in engaging the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to resolve the impasse between the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) to an end.
“We believe that our collective efforts must be geared towards finding solutions to the protracted labour dispute without compromising the integrity and quality of pharmaceutical services and care deserved by Ghanaian patients as prescribed under the laws,” he added.
The Society wish to assure Government and GHOSPA that it is willing and ready to provide any assistance towards a swift resolution of their differences to ensure an immediate resumption of pharmaceutical services in public health facilities.
Sheikh Shaibu Aremeyaw, Greater Accra Regional Manager of Islamic Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service, commended the Society for extending its tentacles to the Islamic School for the celebration.
He expressed the hope that it would be spread across other schools to intensify the education on sanitation and hygiene-related diseases.
He urged the students to be focus and learn hard to justify the investment made in them by their parents and observe the education on personal hygiene for their health delivery.
The students were advised to avoid walking barefooted, cook meat regularly, wash hands thoroughly before meals, change and wash underwear regularly and use vermox regularly in deworming children and childbearing age women.
The Society as part of the celebration, donated exercise books to the Al Waleed Islamic School.
Source: GNA