The leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) on Thursday 23rd January undertook high-profile courtesy visits to Hon. Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, Member of Parliament for Offinso North Constituency, and Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health-designate and MP for Juaboso Constituency. These visits were part of the Society’s strategic efforts to strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders and advocate for policies to advance pharmacy practice and healthcare delivery in Ghana.

Visit to Hon. Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah

The PSGH delegation, led by its President, Pharm. Dr. Samuel Kow Donkoh, included the Executive Secretary, Pharm. Dr. Dennis Sena Awitty; the Deputy Executive Secretary, Pharm. Dr. Harry Amoaning Okyere; and Pharm. Daniel Marfo of Rx Health Info-Systems. The visit celebrated Hon. Dr. Asamoah’s electoral victory as the only pharmacist in the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic and reinforced the Society’s commitment to supporting pharmacists in leadership roles.

Dr. Donkoh highlighted PSGH’s vision of increasing pharmacist representation in Parliament, expressing the aspiration to have at least two pharmacists in the legislative body. He noted that the Society provided financial and logistical support to pharmacist candidates in the recent elections. Though Hon. Dr. Asamoah was the only successful candidate, his victory represents a significant milestone for the pharmacy profession.

Hon. Dr. Asamoah expressed gratitude for the visit and PSGH’s support during his campaign. He reaffirmed his dedication to the pharmacy profession, stating, “Though I am now a Member of Parliament, I remain first and foremost a pharmacist and a proud member of the PSGH. I will continue to support the advancement of the pharmacy profession in every way I can.” His commitment to leveraging his legislative role to advocate for policies promoting the pharmacy sector accentuates his dedication to national development.

Visit to Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh

In a similar gesture, the PSGH leadership paid a courtesy call on Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health-designate, to congratulate him on his nomination and pledge their support. Hon. Charles Akwesi Agbeve, MP for Agotime-Ziope Constituency, was also present during the meeting.

The PSGH delegation used the opportunity to engage Hon. Akandoh on pressing challenges facing the pharmacy sector. Among the key issues discussed were delays in paying allowances to pharmacy house officers, a situation that continues to affect morale and professional growth. The delegation also raised concerns about the shortage of pharmacists in government healthcare facilities, a problem compounded by a lack of recruitment over the past five years.

Another critical issue highlighted was the lack of adequate support for pharmacists to pursue specialization at the Ghana College of Pharmacists, an institution vital for advancing the profession.

The PSGH raised serious concerns about the Ghana College of Pharmacists being forced to vacate its premises due to allegations that the government land and property they occupy has been taken over by a private developer. The Society strongly emphasized the urgency of the situation and called on the Minister-designate to intervene immediately to safeguard this critical national asset and ensure that the College is not deprived of its  facilities, which are vital for advancing pharmacy education and specialization in Ghana.

The discussion also touched on the potential of the “Community Pharmacy First” concept to strengthen primary healthcare and advance universal health coverage. PSGH underscored the need to integrate community pharmacies into Ghana’s primary healthcare framework to ease the burden on secondary and tertiary facilities. The delegation further advocated for enhanced support for local pharmaceutical manufacturers, including small-scale producers and vaccine manufacturers. They proposed public-private partnerships (PPP) to foster contract manufacturing, which could bolster the pharmaceutical industry’s contribution to national healthcare delivery.

 

Hon. Akandoh expressed gratitude for the visit and commended PSGH for their proactive engagement. He noted that many of their proposals aligned with the government’s vision and the NDC manifesto. He assured PSGH of his commitment to addressing the issues raised and welcomed ongoing collaboration to achieve sustainable improvements in the health sector.