The Pharmacy Council of Ghana launched the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NEPP) in Accra on Monday 18th July 2022 at the Alisa Hotel.

The NEPP is a technological platform commissioned and authorised to facilitate electronic pharmacy (e-pharmacy) services. The initiative is the first of its kind and it is expected to ensure transparent medicine dispensing mechanisms and promote high accountability and responsibility for such medicines.

Launching the NEPP, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is widely known for his commitment to digitalizing the Ghanaian economy, was thankful to the pharmacy Council and the other stakeholders for the successful execution of the project. He also iterated the immense potential benefits of the e-pharmacy to Ghanaians in the delivery of healthcare and to the economy.

The colourful occasion was chaired by Pharm. Mrs. Doris Fosu-Hemaa Addae-Afoakwa, the Chairperson of the Pharmacy Council Board. Other Speakers for the occasion were the deputy minister for Health, Hon. Mahama Asei Seini, who is also the member of Parliament for Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency, the registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Pharm. Dr. Audu Rauf, the Deputy Registrar of the Pharmacy Council in Charge of operations, Pharm. Dr. Daniel Amaning Danquah and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Pharm. Samuel Kow Donkoh.

In his address, Dr. Amaning Danquah who explained how the platform operates acknowledged that like every new initiative, there may be some teething challenges. He called for concerted efforts and the support of all stakeholders to address these challenges and to ensure a smooth operation of the platform.

President Samuel Kow Donkoh, on his part, re-echoed the benefits of the NEPP and called on the Council as well as the IGP to deal with any illegalities within the e-pharmacy space.

“E-pharmacy will enable medical doctors to send e-prescriptions straight to community pharmacies of their patient’s choice, the medical history, drug history, diagnosis and lab results of clients can be made accessible to the community pharmacists to guide them in counselling and ensure proper audit of the prescription to fill and appropriately dispense”

“All the illegal organisations already operating E Pharmacies who are not Licensed Pharmacies should cease or face the law for their illegal trade and unprofessional service without a registered superintendent pharmacist”

“Mr. IGP we will be coming to you to help us put a stop to these criminal activities happening in the Country”.

Background

It may be recalled that at the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the PSGH in Accra, the Vice President of Ghana, in line with the government’s digitalization drive, challenged the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana to take steps in ensuring that Pharmacy services are digitized. The theme for the AGM that year was “Pharmacy in a digital world”. The Pharmacy Council, working with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and other stakeholders, accepted the challenge to streamline e-pharmacy practice in Ghana.

On December 22, 2021, the Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia then led the Pharmacy Council to launch the National Electronic Pharmacy Policy and Guidelines (e-Pharmacy)

This was followed by series of stakeholder engagements which culminated in the development, launch and roll out of the GNEPP.