Pharmacists advised to uphold professional standards
Pharmacists have been advised to uphold professional standards to safeguard lives of citizens entrusted under their care.
They must also be responsible and committed to their work while improving on themselves to face challenges in the profession which was fast evolving.
The Country Lead of Medtronic Labs, Ghana, Kwabena Asante Offei, who gave the advice, added that “as the role of pharmacists continually expands, maintaining ethical standards becomes pivotal in preserving the well-being of patients and the society at large, so let us be guided by our ethics”.
He was speaking during the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy second white coat ceremony in Accra last Thursday.
It was on the theme: “Embracing ethical excellence in pharmacy practice”.
Event
The Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Prof. Isaac Asiedu Gyekye, said the event was to signify the transition from pre-clinical knowledge to clinical health sciences which, he said, was the practical aspect of what they had been taught.
He said they represented Level 500 students who had enrolled in the PharmD programme, becoming the second group of students embarking on their clinical in the final year of the programme.
“So this ceremony precedes the commencement of the first year, the students are led to engage in early patient contact,” the dean explained.
On infrastructure, Prof. Gyekye expressed concern over limited facilities and said there was the need to address the infrastructural deficit challenge to create opportunities for more students to be enrolled in the school.
Commendation
The President of Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Dr Samuel Kow Donkor, commended the students for the strides they had made, and the transition from the academia to clinical practice.
He urged them to use their clinical practice as a period to carefully identify their interests.
“So, as you take a new step in the profession, challenge yourselves and take advantage of the various fields the profession presents, including drug formulation, regulation and manufacturing, among others”, Dr Donkor added.