Dr. Paul Owusu Donkor, PhD and Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson,

The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Dr. Paul Owusu Donkor, PhD, has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, as part of formal engagements marking the Society’s 90th anniversary celebrations this year.

The second major event of the anniversary celebrations is a flagship Pharmacy Education Forum and Gala Night named in honour of Prof. Albert Nee Tackie, the first Ghanaian Dean of the first Faculty of Pharmacy in Ghana. The visit formed part of efforts to formally invite the Vice-Chancellor and the Management of the University to the milestone event, scheduled to take place in Kumasi on 26th June 2026 at the prestigious Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Jubilee Hall at the Manhyia Palace, under the theme: “Futureproofing Pharmacy Through Pharmacy Education.”

In his remarks, Dr. Owusu Donkor expressed appreciation to Prof. Dickson for her support and encouragement, describing her as a role model whose leadership journey embodies the very legacy the Society seeks to highlight through its anniversary reflections.

He noted that his decision to personally engage the Vice-Chancellor upon assuming office was also a gesture of respect and gratitude for her influence, mentorship, and inspiration within academic and professional circles, particularly for the many early-career female pharmacists who look up to her.

The PSGH President also took the opportunity to congratulate Prof. Dickson on her distinguished service as she brings her tenure as Vice-Chancellor to a close. He further expressed pride that a pharmacist has been identified to succeed her, underscoring the growing leadership influence of the pharmacy profession within academia.

Chairman of the PSGH 90th Anniversary Planning Committee, Pharm. Kwabena Asante Offei, outlined the structure of the celebrations, indicating that they are anchored on three key pillars: community healthcare, pharmacy education, and regulation of the pharmaceutical sector.

Chairman of the PSGH 90th Anniversary Planning Committee, Pharm. Kwabena Asante Offei

According to him, these pillars reflect the expanding role of pharmacists beyond traditional dispensing functions into broader areas of healthcare delivery, education, leadership, and governance. He further emphasized that the “legacy” component of the celebrations will recognize individuals whose contributions have significantly shaped healthcare delivery and pharmacy education in Ghana and beyond.

Prof. Dickson is expected to be specially honoured for her contributions to pharmacy education and her historic achievement as the first female pharmacist to become Vice-Chancellor of KNUST.

“We are recognizing you not just because you are a pharmacist, but because you have distinguished yourself with grace and excellence in leadership,” he stated.

In her response, Prof. Dickson welcomed the PSGH delegation and expressed appreciation for the invitation and recognition extended to the University. She emphasized that institutional achievements are built on collective effort and made possible through supportive systems and teamwork.

“What is life if we are not thinking about the legacy we leave behind?” she remarked, underscoring the relevance of the anniversary theme to professional responsibility and future generations.

Reflecting on the evolution of pharmacy education at KNUST since 1953, she urged the profession to continue adapting to technological advancements and changing healthcare needs.

“90 years—we know where we have come from, but the important question is where we go from here,” she noted, calling for continuous innovation and the repositioning of the profession to remain globally competitive and responsive to emerging healthcare challenges.

As PSGH prepares to mark nine decades of pharmaceutical practice in Ghana, the courtesy call at KNUST reinforced a central theme of the anniversary celebrations: reflecting on the profession’s impact while charting a bold path for its future contribution to national healthcare development.The PSGH Team with the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson and other lecturers.