GHOSPA calls for financial clearance for qualified pharmacists

Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has called on the Ministry of Finance for immediate financial clearance to deploy 599 qualified pharmacist house officers.

This call comes as 333 current pharmacist house officers were set to complete their tenure by the end of the month, creating lack of pharmacists in pharmaceutical care across hospitals and health facilities.

A statement issued by the Association said the current delay in deploying the trained pharmacist house officers was unjustifiable and could severely disrupt medication safety, clinical pharmacy services, and emergency care.

It said the exit of over 300 house officers without immediate replacement would overwhelm an already understaffed workforce, resulting in medication errors, delayed treatments, and compromised patient safety.

The statement said pharmacist house officers were essential for ensuring effective medication use, counseling patients, managing chronic diseases, and delivering 24-hour pharmaceutical services.

“The simultaneous exit of the current cohort, without deploying replacements, risks eroding the quality of care and further straining Ghana’s overburdened healthcare system,” it added.

GHOSPA urged the Ministry of Finance to grant financial clearance immediately to avert the collapse of hospital pharmaceutical services, and to ensure smooth workforce transitions to maintain continuity in healthcare delivery.

The Association said failure to act would lead to increased patient mortality from avoidable medication-related harm, heightened pharmacist burnout, and weakened public trust in the health system.

“Pharmacists are not just dispensers of drugs but they are critical frontline providers whose absence could cripple hospital operations,” it emphasized.

Source: GNA

The post GHOSPA calls for financial clearance for qualified pharmacists appeared first on Ghana Business News.

Read Full Story