Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged pharmacists to examine their motive for service and not to place monetary benefits ahead of the greater good of service to people who place their faith, hope and belief in the hands of pharmacists in their vulnerable moments of ill-health.
The Asantehene, who is an ordinary fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), wants pharmacists to manifest positive values and deliver quality service with sincere hearts by letting their integrity and humanity to be clear and evident as “friends of the human race”.
“The mark of every profession is the place of trust it holds in society. Anytime we submit our prescriptions to you, we place our destiny in your professional judgment and discretion as experts in medicine,” he stated.
Addressing the 2017 annual general conference of PSGH in Kumasi, Otumfuo said he personally gets worried and uncomfortable when he hears of strikes involving pharmacists and other health professionals in the country.
“I wonder what happens to the innocent pregnant women, babies, children and accident victims who may be rushed to the hospitals and pharmacies for help in the wake of these actions,” he revealed.
According to him, recent incidents at the Central Medical Stores have left a scar on the public’s perception and expectations of pharmacists, and, therefore, he wants them to begin to provide their service with utmost humanity, honesty and fidelity to their call.
“It is worrying and cost the nation a huge fortune economically,” he indicated and asked the pharmacists to dialogue with authorities in finding lasting solution to ensure that the incidents do not happen again.
The Asantehene also called on pharmacists not to allow the new world order of money-driven motive to override their true calling as professionals.
The conference was held under the theme: ‘Harnessing Opportunities in Pharmacy for National Economic Development’.
The President of PSGH, Thomas Boateng Appiagyei, disclosed that the object of the conference was to examine how they could harness their potentials in order to contribute to the national economy.
“It is often said that food, energy and medicines keep a nation growing. This fact is well proven when one takes a careful look at the wealthy nations we as Ghanaians wish to emulate,” he stated.
Mr Appiagyei explained that medicines and other health commodities have huge socio-economic implications for the nation, and that pharmacies are the first and last port of call for healthcare delivery.
He pointed out that pharmaceutical manufacturing, importation and distribution, in many respect, remain a great opportunity for any nation to model its entire economic aspirations, since demand for medicines, just like food and energy, will remain with humanity forever.
This, he added, makes the theme for the conference most critical for consideration by all and sundry, and called for concrete and practical steps to help integrate into society’s programme in the years ahead.
The PSGH president touched on the new outlook for the pharmacy profession in the country and the PSGH’s 10-year strategic plan which intends to promote standards of patient-centred pharmacy practice.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi