The Pharmacy Council will modernize its professional practice in Ghana

General News of Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-04-10

The Pharmacy Council (PC) is working to improve professional practices in the country to bring them in line with international best practice.

As a result, the Doctor of Pharmacy Diploma (Pharm D) will now be the minimum required to practice pharmacy in Ghana.

The deputy registrar in charge of professional development of the PC, Mr. Albert Wiredu Arkoh, who revealed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, said that the PC was working closely with the various pharmacy training institutions to develop modalities for successful implementation. of politics in the next 10 years.

Currently, the minimum qualification for practicing pharmacy in the country is a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Pharm B).

Reasoning

Mr. Arkoh explained that this decision was in response to a directive from the West African Health Organization (WAHO), an ECOWAS specialized agency dealing with health issues in the African region. 'Where is.

He stated that WAHO, in keeping with its goal of high standards in health-related activities, had asked all member institutions to make Pharm D the minimum qualification for pharmacy practice. the sub-region within 10 years.

As part of efforts to achieve this goal, the PC has asked all pharmacy training institutions in the country to admit only students wishing to pursue Pharm D during the 2018/2019 academic year. .

"The decision is consistent with the standardization of WAHO pharmaceutical practices in the region.

And as a member of the organization, it is important for us to adhere to it and apply it accordingly, "added Arkoh.

Pharmacist

A doctor of pharmacy is a professional doctorate in pharmacy that in some countries is the prerequisite for obtaining a license to practice or become a clinical pharmacist.

In Ghana, Pharm D is a six-year course offered in the country's various pharmaceutical training institutions.

The institutions are the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, the University of Ghana, Legon, the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho and the entrance to the University College of Health in Accra.

Currently, a total of 06 in the West African Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results is the acceptable threshold for candidates interested in pursuing the program.

According to Mr Arkoh, the first group of students who attended Pharm D at KNUST during the 2012/2013 academic year, graduated in 2018 and are currently working in various pharmaceutical establishments.

He urged professionals who practice with the Pharm B qualification to take advantage of the one-year complementary program, deployed in various training institutions to perfect themselves.