Government hasn’t employed any pharmacists in permanent jobs since 2020 – Pharmaceutical Society

According to Pharm Dr Samuel Kow Donkoh, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, the last time chemists were hired by the government for the Ghana Health Service was in 2020.

As the nation’s largest employer, the government has, in his opinion, left a large number of chemists unemployed, which is concerning.

“Pharmacists have not had a permanent position in the Ghana Health Service since 2020. It is thus concerning for us if the government, which employs the greatest number of people, has not hired any chemists for long-term positions’, he stated.

Pharm During his speech at the 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners (SPMDP), Dr. Donkoh revealed this insight.

Members of the Society as well as representatives from other sister groups and unions convened for a four-day conference with the topic “Health Sector Brain Drain to Brain Gain: The Role of the Private Practitioners” to generate ideas for a long-term cure for the canker.

Pharm Dr. Donkoh believes that a major problem is the discrepancy between the quantity of healthcare practitioners being created and the amount of career opportunities that are available.

For all of us, brain drain is a really concerning scenario. Not only the physicians, but all of the healthcare workers as a whole,” he stated on Friday.

Pharm Dr. Donkoh noted that there are eight pharmacy schools in Ghana, and that every year over 1,000 pharmacists receive their degrees.

But for the last four years, the government hasn’t given these new professionals any offers for permanent jobs.

Many young chemists are seeking work overseas due to a lack of possibilities, which is worsening the brain drain issue already plaguing the health industry.
“People would like to stay and work, but there aren’t enough jobs available, and even when there are, chemists don’t get paid enough.” He said, “These are the two things that are driving our people out of the nation.

Pharm Dr. Donkoh urged the government to actively seek out chemist employment as a solution to this problem.

He proposed that if 400 to 500 chemists were hired each year, there would be a chemist in every health institution in the nation.

Make sure a chemist is present whenever medication is being delivered. Pharmacists will be on hand to give pharmaceutical services in the various wards in addition to the pharmacy department, he noted.
Pharm Dr. Donkoh also emphasised the contribution of the private sector to the expansion of pharmacist employment prospects.

He pleaded with authorities to foster an atmosphere that will encourage more chemists to work in the private sector.

“A chemist must be present whenever a pharmacy is opened, according to the legislation.Our members will have job prospects if the regulator insists on that,” he stated.

He also recommended that retailers of over-the-counter medications transition to complete pharmacies and hire pharmacists.

“There was only one pharmacy school in Ghana, KNUST, which graduated around 50 pharmacists annually, when they were given licenses to sell over-the-counter medications. Approximately 1,000 to 1,500 pharmacists are produced yearly by our eight pharmacy schools.

We shouldn’t be finding retailers of over-the-counter medications in the major regional cities, among other places, given these numbers. To create more job prospects, all these people need to do is upgrade into pharmacies and hire pharmacists,” he said.

The concerning pace of nurse immigration also worried Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

She claims that the overwhelming exodus of nurses has left the healthcare system with huge gaps, making the burden for the surviving nurses unmanageable.
The safety of our patients as well as our own as medical professionals is at risk due to the immigration of our colleagues.
“The increased workload of those at post as a result of their departure has created serious gaps within the health system, which may at some point lead to medical errors or incorrect decisions being made.”

Dr. Cecilia Kakraba Quashie, President of the Ghana Dental Association, echoed Madam Ofori-Ampofo’s worries when she emphasised the value of mentorship as a tactic to lessen the impacts of brain drain.

“I firmly feel that one important component that our healthcare industry is lacking is deliberate mentorship. I beseech everyone of you to assume the role of mentor, providing guidance and support to a minimum of one young professional in each of our respective disciplines.
“Hopefully, this will help some of our young people to stay here as we can foster a culture of knowledge-sharing, growth, and collective success,” the speaker stated.