Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has appealed to pharmacists to get actively involved in community outreach and primary healthcare programmes to help address the high incidence of self-medication among Ghanaians.
Unsafe and inappropriate use of drugs carry with it potential health risks and the people need to be educated on this, he said.
The Minister was speaking at a ceremony organised by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to honour Mrs Elizabeth Anima Appiah, immediate-past Director of Pharmacy, who is retiring after 34 years of service.
She was presented with a Kente cloth, undisclosed amount of money and a plaque.
An accompanying Citation conveyed the facility’s appreciation for her “distinguished and selfless service to the hospital and the public in general.”
Dr Agyemang-Mensah, who is also the Board Chairman of KATH, credited Mrs Appiah with the significant improvement and efficiency of the hospital’s pharmacy department.
He said he was confident that the facility would continue to tap into her rich experience.
Dr Agyemang-Mensah used the occasion to re-affirm the hospital’s determination to enhance the conditions of service of the workers.
He, however, underlined the need for the workers to uphold high standards of professionalism to win public confidence.
Mrs Appiah said she was humbled by the honour and gave the assurance that her doors would always remain opened to the hospital.
She urged the younger generation of pharmacists to be committed to duty since they played crucial role in quality healthcare delivery.