Pharmacy Council to introduce District Pharmaceutical Concept

Accra, July 11, GNA - The Ghana Pharmacy Council is to introduce a District Pharmacy Concept to improve access to pharmaceutical care at the grassroots to make district pharmacies first point of call to patients.

The project would also encourage pharmacists to be committed at the grassroots and enable districts to initiate programmes that would retain the pharmacists.

Mr Harrison Abutiate, Chairman of Pharmacy Council, said this on Tuesday when he launched the 2006 Continuing Educational Programme for pharmacists in Accra.

The pharmacists would be treating the topics including: "Managing Malaria-The new Anti-Malaria Drug Policy Perspective=94 and 93First Aid: The roles and Limitations of the Pharmacists". The Programme, jointly organized by the Pharmacy Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), is aimed at enhancing the professional development and competence of pharmacists, improve and broaden their knowledge as pharmacists to help them to develop the personal qualities required.

It confers on them professional recognition, increase self-awareness, self-confidence and empowering individual pharmacists to take responsibility for their own development. Mr Abutiate said documents on the concept had been submitted to President John Agyekum Kufuor for consideration and "we hope it will be adopted as a national policy".

Mr Joseph Nyoagbe, Acting Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, said the Programme was used as one of the eligibility criteria for the retention of names in their register and re-licensing of members. He explained that 734 out of the expected 1,029 pharmacists had been re-licensed as at June 2006 and urged pharmacists to constantly participate in such educational programmes to serve as a contribution towards the maintenance and enhancement of their professional development and competence.

=93This will improve the quality of pharmaceutical care and services; ensure measurable standard of practice; foster a spirit of lifelong learning throughout careers and most especially reassure the public that pharmacists are always competent."

Mr Frank Boateng, President of PSGH, urged pharmacists to unite to ensure the success of the Programme.