Pharm Benjamin Botwe
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has marked this year’s World Pharmacists Day with a call for equity in healthcare for all people.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Transforming Global Health”.
The Society in a release to commemorate the day marked on September 25 every year said the concept of global health places emphasis on achieving equity in health for all people.
PSGH President Pharm Benjamin Kwame Botwe, noted that the increased economic, political and social globalization should parallel innovations in global health.
“This is of paramount importance because globalization means that countries all over the world have some common vulnerabilities and a shared responsibility pertaining to diseases and health.
This assertion is clearly epitomized by the current coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19 was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, but has transcended geographical borders to affect more than 227 countries and territories, ” he said.
He also called for the stregthening of community based pharmacists who are frequently involved in out-of-clinic management of chronic conditions including routine monitoring and counseling of stabilized hypertensive patients, diabetic patients, asthmatic patients.
“Going forward, all stakeholders of healthcare in the country should be looking out for strategic ways to fully utilize the expansive knowledge and expertise of the pharmacist, ” he added.
Pharm. Botwe noted that with the advent of the Doctor of Pharmacists (PharmD) program in Ghana, the scope of pharmacy practice should be expanded.
He said pharmacists’ medication expertise should be leveraged in vaccine development and clinical trials.
“The PSGH has made proposals to the leadership of the country for the establishment of a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research to facilitate research into pharmacy, a National Bioequivalence Testing Centre to support local production of generic medicines and the Model Community Pharmacy concept to extend pharmaceutical care to under-served districts and communities across the country, ” he indicated.
The Society also urged Ghanaians to have a personal pharmacist whom they can call upon anytime for advice, counseling and health information particularly on their medications.
“We urge everyone to demand to see the Pharmacist anytime you visit a Pharmacy and together we will deliver on our motto as truly ‘Friends of the Human Race, ” he advised.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri