AMCAG calls for amendment of National Drug policy

The Western Regional branch of The Association of Medical Counter Assistant Ghana (AMCAG) with support from the BUSAC Fund, is advocating the amendment of the national drug policy on medicine dispensation, to ensure quality health care delivery.

A statement signed by Mr. Stephen Dankyi, the Regional Vice-President of AMCAG, copied to Ghana News Agency on Sunday, noted that The Pharmacy Act, (Act 489) 1994 is silent on who qualifies to dispense over the counter medicines under the supervision of a Pharmacist.

It said according to The National Drug Policy,"Medicines shall only be dispensed by persons authorized by the appropriate authority to do so," and this is subject to different interpretations.

The statement expressed worry that proprietors of pharmacy and licensed chemical shops failed to engage trained medical counter assistants as required by the Pharmacy Act and preferred working with relatives and friends.

It called on “the Pharmacy Act and the National Drug Policy to make it clear who is qualified to handle and dispense drugs and enforce the law on this.”**