Pharmacists to exert their power

Accra, May 9, GNA - A Campaign christened; "Ask the Pharmacist" which aims at repositioning pharmacists and their services and also give them a new image was on Friday launched in Accra. The campaign which was initiated by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and Pharma Consult also seeks to offer the services of pharmacists in communities where doctors were not readily available. Dr. Alex Dodoo, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana said two thirds of Ghanaians visited the pharmacist first when they were sick and after seeing the doctor they were the last to see before left the hospital.

He said the majority of Ghanaians were not aware that that they could ask their pharmacists questions bordering on their health and medications and noted that the pharmacist did not only have the monopoly to sell medicines but had more to do professionally, ethically and morally to improve public health. He contended that it was therefore a criminal offence to sell medications without the services of pharmacists and that the Pharmacy Council was up to the task. Dr. Dodoo called for police collaboration in helping them clamp down on unlicensed shops, adding that, the right thing was that people should learn to operate at their level of expertise and not move beyond in dealing with drugs. Mr. Noah Acolatse, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pharma Consult called on pharmacists to exercise the authority they have on medicines and help improve the healthcare of Ghanaians.