By, Nsor Paul Mensah.
Pharmacists in Community Practice launch "I am Your Community Pharmacists" Campaign at the maiden Community Pharmacy Week Celebration today 4th July 2023, in Accra to create awareness about the unique roles community pharmacists play and to recognize the contribution of community pharmacists especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland said at the maiden Community Pharmacy Week Celebration launch that Pharmacists are unable to benefit from fair compensation from Patient Care, and Patients are unable to subscribe to the services of Pharmacists and that E-Health Technologies has come to bridge that gap by offering a solution utilizing effective, innovative and cutting-edge eHealth and mHealth technologies to enable both the pharmacist and the client enjoy upgraded healthcare services by just downloading an App.This he believes will go a long way to help implement Clinical Professional Services delivery effectively.Dr
.Ireland emphasized that, in other to ensure quality pharmaceutical care delivery, plans are far advanced with ADVANCEPHARMA who has developed a unique technological platform to ensure that deserving pharmacists own their own pharmacies.
The National Chairman of CPPA added that CPPA has endorsed the use of the Approved Label Printer which is a digital label printer developed by two (2) young Ghanaian Pharmacists - Pharm. Hayford Brako and Pharm. Isaac Nkrumah of Pharmatech Solutions Limited (PSL) to help prevent dispensing errors, promote patients’ safety and help solve drug prescription related problems in the pharmacy. He urged all community pharmacies to install it for efficiency and standardization.
Dr. Ireland stated that the week-long community pharmacy week celebration, will serve as a visual celebration of the critical role pharmacists play and it is a great way to help raise awareness about the vital role of pharmacists in the healthcare system.
Dr. Ireland advised the public that it is very important for everyone to have his personal pharmacist. This is because "your personal pharmacist knows your medical history, as well as all types of prescription and non-prescription medications you may be taking. As such they are able to assess and review all the factors related to your overall health and provide clinical professional advice and recommendations that are right for you".
He concluded by saying that
"we are in the business of healthcare, which means that dispensing medication is not the only solution to better health. We want to provide a complete healthcare experience in our pharmacies by offering a wide range of products and services to help achieve improved health outcomes".
At the ceremony were Dr. Samuel Kow Donkoh, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) who was the keynote speaker and Pharm. Thomas Boateng Appiagye, the thematic speaker who spoke the theme "the Community Pharmacist, your most trusted healthcare partner.”
The launch which preceded a public lecture, was chaired by Lady Pharm. Doris Fosu-Hemaa Afoakwa who is currently the Chairperson of the Pharmacy Council of Ghana.