Government hasn’t permanently employed any pharmacists since 2020 – the Pharmaceutical Society

The Ghana Health Service has not employed any pharmacists into permanent positions since 2020, Dr. Samuel Kow Donkoh, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, has disclosed. He expressed concern pertaining to the issue, as the government, being the largest employer in the country, has not provided any permanent job opportunities for pharmacists in the past few years. Dr. Donkoh highlighted that the disparity between the number of healthcare practitioners being trained and the available job opportunities is a substantial concern for the entire healthcare industry, and not for medical doctors only. To tackle this issue, Dr. Donkoh urged the government to make a concerted effort to employ pharmacists. He proposed that hiring 400 to 500 pharmacists annually would guarantee that every health facility in the country has a dedicated pharmacist.“Anywhere medicines are being dispensed, we need to make sure that there is a pharmacist. Not only will pharmacists be available in the pharmacy department, but they will also be at the various wards to provide pharmaceutical services,” he noted.

He shared this information during the 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners (SPMDP). The event spanned four days, and focused on the theme, “Health Sector Brain Drain to Brain Gain: The Role of the Private Practitioners.” It brought together members of the Society and other associate organizations to discuss viable solutions for addressing the challenges faced within the healthcare.

He encouraged regulators to establish an environment that fosters the engagement of more pharmacists in the private sector. The private sector also has the potential and possibility of creating jobs for pharmacists, he emphasized. “The law states that ‘Anytime a pharmacy is opened, there should be the presence of a pharmacist’. If the regulator insists on that, it will create employment opportunities for our members,” he said.He also suggested that there should be an upgrade from over-the-counter medicine sellers to full pharmacies, so that pharmacists can get employment in these full pharmacies.

He said, “At the time they were granted licenses to operate as over-the-counter medicine sellers, Ghana had only one Pharmacy School, KNUST, which produced about 50 pharmacists a year. Today, we have eight pharmacy schools producing about 1,000 to 1,500 pharmacists annually.

With these figures, we shouldn’t be finding over-the-counter medicine sellers in the regional capitals and others. All these people need to upgrade into pharmacies and employ pharmacists to create more job opportunities,”. He also highlighted the importance of mentorship as a strategy to mitigate the effects of brain drain. “I strongly believe that intentional mentorship is a crucial element missing in our healthcare profession. I implore each of you to take up the mantle of mentorship, guiding, and supporting at least one young professional in our various fields. By so doing, we can foster a culture of knowledge-sharing, growth, and collective success, and hopefully, this will help some of our young people to stay here,” he said.