It has been twelve months since the PSGH concluded on its 2021 conference to elect new leaders. During the election campaign at the time, strings of promises were made by all candidates, including the eventual victor, Pharmacist Samuel Kow Donkoh.

One year on, at the 2022 Annual General Meeting in Tamale, the president has made a bold declaration that his second year in office will be focused on implementation. In his opening address, he said “Today marks the end of my first year in office as the President of our Society. Within this period, a lot of novel ideas have been birthed, policies promulgated, and initiatives championed, for the advancement of pharmacy in Ghana”

He concluded his resounding speech by saying “I wish to inform pharmacists that the next 12 months is for implementation. Plans have been made, approvals have been sought, our work is cut out for us, which is to implement all the plans and projects we have. It is a time to “do” and to demonstrate “results”.

Even though the President has made the assertion that his first year was for planning, and the second year will be for execution, there are many that believe that the President’s effort in his first year is worthy of commendation.This is because in his first year alone, and as he expounded in his AGM address, President Samuel Kow Donkoh has presided over:

  1. Collaboratively working with the pharmacy council to enhance regulation of pharmaceutical practice in Ghana.
  2. Constructive and productive critique of the e-pharmacy and collaboration with the Pharmacy Council to launch e-pharmacy practice in Ghana, the first of its kind across sub-Saharan Africa.
  3. Secure a GHS 315,000 Global Fund Grant to pilot the bidirectional screening and testing for TB/COVID-19 in Pharmacies.
  4. Conclusion on the planning and design of the Pharmacy Centre, with construction set to begin shortly.
  5. An enhanced welfare package for members effective immediately
  6. An establishment of an affordable life insurance policy to protect members against critical illness and death
  7. Plans are being finalized for interested pharmacists to build capacity in pharmaceutical manufacturing and to explore opportunities to go into small scale manufacturing.
  8. Successful inclusion of pharmacy technicians and dispensing assistants to GHOSPA’s bargaining certificate.
  9. Proposals for professional fees to be charged by pharmacists in community practice have also been finalized for adoption
  10. The PSGH job portal has been created and in full operation as the first step in the establishment of an employment and human resource bureau
  11. The online Ghana Pharmaceutical Journal and the Apothecary news has been completed. All past editions of the journal are being digitized and archived online
  12. Partnered with DrugNet to bring to our screens the most authoritative public health education dubbed “Ask your Pharmacist”
  13. Establishment of a help desk to facilitate members’ application for new pharmacy licenses
  14. The first ever townhall meeting dubbed my ‘’PSGH 360’’ to interact with members, update the on issues and take their concerns
  15. Time with the Legends: platform where young pharmacists and pharmacists seeking new career opportunities get to interact with senior pharmacists who have reached the zenith of their careers and whose stories can teach, inspire, motivate and empower listeners to achieve more

Has President Samuel Donkoh delivered on his promises? You decide. Share your thoughts in the comments section