By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Akropong Akuapem (E/R), May 4, GNA – The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has launched activities to mark its 90th anniversary, with calls for strengthened ethics and patient-centred practice.
The event, held at a durbar in Akropong Akuapem, brought together traditional authorities, regulators, health officials, pharmacy professionals, students and invited guests.
In a welcome address, Eric Ossei-Sarpong, Eastern Regional Chairman of PSGH, said the choice of Akropong Akuapem as host was deliberate due to its historical role in healthcare delivery.
“As we celebrate 90 years of organised pharmacy practice, it is important to reconnect with our roots and remind ourselves of the values upon which the profession was built,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, Michael Kudedonor, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, urged pharmacists to uphold high ethical standards and comply with regulatory requirements to safeguard public health.
He said the Pharmacy Council would continue to strengthen oversight in medicine distribution, professional conduct and patient safety.
“Regulation is not intended to punish professionals but to safeguard patients and ensure that medicines used in this country meet the required standards,” he stated.
Paul Owusu Donkor, President of PSGH, outlined a 10-year vision for the profession and called for pharmacists to reposition themselves within Ghana’s primary healthcare system.
He said community pharmacists must expand their role beyond dispensing medicines to include pharmaceutical care, disease prevention and health promotion.
“Over the next decade, the pharmacist must be seen not only as a dispenser of medicines but as a frontline healthcare provider contributing directly to improved health outcomes,” he said.
Mr Donkor said continuous professional development, collaboration with other health workers and adherence to ethical standards were essential to sustaining public trust.
At the ceremony, prizes were presented to winners of the PSGH 90th Anniversary Schools Essay Competition.
Nana Afua Nketia Obuo II, Paramount Queenmother of Akuapem and Guest of Honour, formally launched the anniversary and called on pharmacists to serve communities with dedication.
She urged pharmacists to uphold integrity, compassion and responsibility in the discharge of their duties.
The anniversary will feature professional, educational and community-based activities nationwide aimed at reflecting on the profession’s development and shaping its future.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey