President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Dr. Samuel Donkor has raised concerns over the shortage of pharmacists in northern Ghana, affecting healthcare delivery in the region.
He was peaking during a stakeholder meeting held on the 4th of April, 2024 with the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Donkor highlighted the government’s failure to employ pharmacists in the public sector due to financial clearance issues. According to him, this has led to the pertinent shortage of pharmacists in hospitals and clinics across the region.
“In the past three years, the government has not employed pharmacists into the public sector and that has not happened because of financial clearance issues…in the northern zone of Ghana, all the Northern regions put together, there is manpower shortage or the shortage of pharmacists in various hospitals and clinics around and that is why we raised the issue…this is an issue that [needs] to be tackled.”
Dr. Donkor emphasized the urgent need for financial clearance to address the shortage.
In response, the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia assured the society to address their needs and pledged to transform the pharmaceutical sector for effective healthcare delivery in the country.
He emphasized the importance of funding these initiatives to realize his vision of making Ghana a pharmaceutical hub, as outlined in his manifesto.
“I’m very supportive… I think if once we have made a decision, it will come [as mentioned] in my manifesto in the way that we are going to make Ghana a pharmaceutical hub but…”
The Pharmaceutical society also appealed for the creation of a scholarship scheme to encourage the education of specialist in pharmacy in the country, to which the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia assured through his aim at improving the pharmaceutical sector in Ghana.
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Story by: Grace Afetsrom | univers.ug.edu.gh
