The PSGH president has paid a working visit to the Ashanti regional capital on Monday the 20th of February,2023 to meet members and other stakeholders of the PSGH to deliberate on issues bordering pharmacists and the pharmacy profession at large. This aligns with the president’s long-standing belief in consultative and inclusive leadership.

The president, together with the executive member of the society, Pharm. Dr Richmond Adusa-Poku first toured the premises of the pharmacy council, where a meeting ensued involving management and delegation of a group calling themselves Small and Medium Entrepreneurs of Pharmacy Owners. Pharmacy owners raised concerns about pharmacists demanding for upfront payment for their services making it very difficult to employ a pharmacist, the indiscriminate springing up of OTCMs and the lack of adherence to the 400 meters radius rules in the siting of new retail pharmacies. President assured them that he will continue to push for several regulatory reforms at the council.

The team visited the Ashanti regional chief pharmacist, Pharm. Rita Owusu Donkor, where she lamented the delay in the payment of house officers and the posting of current house officers. President iterated that delay in the payment is largely a fiscal challenge on the part of the Government of Ghana. That notwithstanding, the PSGH leadership will continue to push for payment to be effected. The president however insisted that the current cohort of house officers will not be posted until financial clearance is obtained.

The president and his team seized the opportunity to visit and engage pharmacists working at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). They deliberated on issues including their welfare and the regulatory infractions around the practice of pharmacy in Ghana. From KATH, they headed to the office of the provost of the college of health sciences Prof. Christian Agyare.

The second day of the President’s visit was dedicated to engagements with the leadership of the PSGH-Ashanti region as well as lecturers of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences where a number of issues affecting the profession were discussed. Worthy of note is the call for the PSGH to organize capacity building and mentorship programs for young pharmacists and students to instill in them the nobility of the profession.