The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS) of the College of Health Sciences has organised a “Pharmaceutical Symposium” Series (PSS) which sought to bring experts in the various sectors of pharmacy practice to interact with students. The event also saw presentations from experts in academia, industry, regulatory practice, hospital practice and community practice.
The event was to help students face the challenges of the practice as they endeavour to provide the needed pharmaceutical services and was on the theme: “Today’s Pharmacists Meet Tomorrow’s On the Diversities of Practice in the Pharmacy Profession”.
Professor Mahama Duweija, Chairperson for the occasion, said there has been diversity in the training of students from the first to final year as they are taken through different levels of classifications in the pharmacy discipline to prepare them to know the quality, values and ethics of the profession and to graduate as all round professionals.
Professor Duweija said the holistic training would enable them to effectively discharge their duty in the area of manufacturing, distributing, regulating, dispensing and the rational use of medicine. These areas, according to him, are possible places of employment and that is why experts have been brought in to offer them insight into the happenings at the world of work.
Professor Alex Dodoo, Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority, an alumnus, said the training and knowledge acquired at KNUST in pharmacy can make graduates capable of doing anything and excelling in all professions. Professor Alex Dodoo further said there are pharmacists who are lawyers, teachers, pastors, politicians and many more.
Professor Dodoo continued that making money is not a sin but it is the mode of acquisition that makes it right or wrong. He questioned how Ghana can become rich if Ghanaians are poor and noted that it will take human beings to make Ghana rich. He said ethically, morally and legally, the only way to be rich is to add value to themselves and challenged them to do so and not to limit themselves.
Professor Dodoo said pharmacy in relation to his work as enforcer high standard is crucial as without knowledge in the discipline of pharmacy it would be impossible. This is because pharmacy is involved in ensuring conformity assessment, testing and certification. He indicated that pharmacists have the lives of people in their hands, from textile testing, cement, garment, food, drugs, mining and even in forensics. Pharmacists are needed in all these areas and encouraged them to take their studies seriously as they have a broad arena for professional regulatory practice.
Pharmacist Mark S. Owiredu, General Manager of Ernest Chemists, in his submission charged the students to take their lessons seriously in order be able to make quality medicines in the future.
Therefore as pharmacist manufacturers, it is essential to ensure quality management systems are in place. He informed the students that as pharmacists, they would also be involved in regulatory affairs, quality control, quality assurance, product research and development, production, packaging logistics, management, sales and marketing.
According to Pharm. Owiredu, they can excel in so many areas especially in herbal medicine as they are knowledgeable in the area and encouraged them to venture into it as a business aside the professional aspect.
Pharmacist Dr. Daniel Amaning Danquah, Acting Deputy Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, challenged the students to imbibe values of the University in order to be successful. Pharm. Dr. Amaning Danquah encouraged the students to prepare themselves well in order to provide excellent services to clients before considering money and cautioned them against putting money first and defying ethics and the lives of patients.
Pharmacist Dr. Isaac Ayensu, of the FPPS KNUST, representing academia said the pharmacist in academia is a social administrator, mentor who teaches, research and offer service to the community and the nation.
Pharm. Dr. Ayensu said pharmacists in academia serve as preceptors, facilitators and laboratory coordinators and encouraged the students to take up careers in academia.
Pharmacist Samuel Amoabeng Kontoh of the Cardiothoracic Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) said the hospital pharmacists’ work with physicians and healthcare professionals and require passion to serve patients. Pharm. Amoabeng Kontoh also encouraged them to enroll in the Ghana College of Pharmacy after practicing for some years in order to specialize in other fields of pharmacy.