THE World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Ghana, Dr Joaquim Saweka, has said access to medicine in the country should be considered as a human right.
Dr Saweka said this when eight Standing Executive Committee members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) were inaugurated into office in Accra yesterday.
Medicine, he said, was fundamental to the good performance of the health care delivery system of a country and that its availability in health facilities and the public’s access to it, contributed to maintaining the population’s confidence and trust in the health care delivery system.
He said although effective medicines existed in countries including Ghana, millions of people particularly in sub-Saharan Africa continued to experience a heavy burden of infectious diseases and were also increasingly afflicted with chronic non-communicable diseases.
Dr Saweka, therefore, said better management of the available medicines would contribute to a better health system, adding that an efficient procurement would also greatly contribute to achieving a better health system.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey, who represented the sector minister, Major Courage Quashigah (retd), said the government had kept and would continue to keep faith with health professionals by ensuring that “we create a conducive environment for you to give of your best”.
She said with enhancements in rebuilding the health infrastructure, “we expect that you will also push the boundaries of excellence in the delivery of service to the people of Ghana”.
Dr Ashitey said the emphasis of the health sector was shifting from managing sickness and diseases to ensuring that people stayed healthy, adding that “this shift underpins our regenerative health programme”.
She said for the health sector, regenerative health and nutrition was a means by which “we can create wealth through health”, adding that no group of professionals were better placed within the community to carry this message than pharmacist.
The newly inducted President of the PSGH, Dr Alex Dodoo, in an address called for the need for issues relating to pharmaceutical care to be given proper attention if the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was to be sustainable.
He reiterated an earlier call for the complete separation of dispensing and prescribing services under the scheme, as well as the re-examination of public sector prescribing and dispensing.
Outlining his vision for the next two years, Dr Dodoo said his main focus would be in the building of the image of the PSGH and public health, and fostering international collaborations.
The Chairman of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Harry Abutiati, swore the eight members into office. Other members of the executive are Mrs Nana Yaa Nartey, treasurer; Mr Philip W. O. Anum, editor; and Messrs Franklin Acheampong, Ernest Aboagye, Kenneth Atabu Agbodza and Kofi Abu as executive members;
Dr Mrs Frances Thelma K. Owusu-Daaku was sworn in as Vice-President, in absentia.
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