By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Akropong Akuapem (E/R), May 4, GNA – The Pharmacy Council has warned that absentee pharmacists and rising commercialisation are undermining patient care and public safety.
The Council said the trend could erode public trust and weaken efforts to promote the rational use of medicines if not addressed.
Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the 90th anniversary of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) at Akropong Akuapem in the Eastern Region, Mr Michael Kudedonor, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, expressed concern over the situation.
He said many community pharmacies were being operated without the presence of supervising pharmacists, leaving dispensing and patient counselling to unqualified personnel.
“When the pharmacist is absent, professional judgment is replaced by guesswork, and that puts patients at risk,” he said.
Mr Kudedonor said the law required the presence and active supervision of licensed pharmacists at registered premises and urged strict compliance.
He cautioned against the growing commercialisation of pharmacy practice, noting that profit motives were beginning to override ethical and patient-centred considerations.
“Pharmacy practice must not be reduced to mere trading in medicines. The moment commercial influence dictates what is dispensed, rather than what is clinically appropriate, patient care suffers,” he noted.
Mr Kudedonor said the Pharmacy Council was intensifying monitoring and enforcement through routine inspections and professional accountability mechanisms.
He called on pharmacists to recommit to ethical practice and uphold their primary responsibility as healthcare professionals.
In a related address, Dr Paul Owusu Donkor, President of PSGH, acknowledged the concerns and said the Society would collaborate with the Pharmacy Council to address professional lapses.
He urged pharmacists to remain present, accessible and actively engaged in patient care.
“Our relevance as pharmacists depends not on the number of outlets we own, but on the quality of care we provide to the public,” he said.
Dr Donkor said the 90th anniversary celebrations would focus on reflection and reform, with emphasis on ethics, discipline and continuous professional development.
Mr Eric Ossei-Sarpong, Eastern Regional Chairman of PSGH, said the anniversary launch provided an opportunity for the profession to address its challenges while celebrating its achievements.
He said tackling absenteeism and excessive commercial influence was essential to preserving the integrity of the profession built over the past nine decades.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey