Judul : Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery
link : Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery
Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery
By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, July 17, GNA – Dr Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland, Chairman of the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA), has encouraged pharmacists to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools to enhance healthcare delivery in Ghana.
He explained that AI was transforming community pharmacy practice, improving access to real-time information, streamlining data management, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
“AI is key. Our work requires timely knowledge. When it comes to healthcare, time is of essence. Information must come quickly so that patients survive and thrive. Yes, we are using AI,” he said at the Leadership and Professional Development Seminar of the third Annual Community Pharmacy Month Celebration (3CPMC25) in Accra on Wednesday.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “We Are Doing More, So Consult Your Pharmacist!” and is partnered by the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA), aimed at enhancing development, support, and professional exchange.
Dr Ireland, said community pharmacists generated a wealth of data daily, and with AI’s capacity to analyse big data, the profession was gradually moving towards harmonising and consolidating health data to inform policy decisions.
He said technology had also made pharmacy services more efficient, reducing client interaction time by up to 60 per cent while increasing the quality of care.
“Assuming a client spent 30 minutes with you before, now it may take only 10. That means more time and better service for patients – and better returns for practitioners,” he said.
Dr Ireland noted that Ghanaian practitioners were aligning with global standards set by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
These expanded roles include Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Management of Minor Ailments, Medication Therapy Management (MTM), Chronic Disease Management, Triage and Referral, Self-Care Support and Improving Access to Care.
“As we speak, close to 1,000 pharmacists have been trained to provide vaccination services. About 300 have been trained in MTM, and 160 in providing access to affordable and quality sexual and reproductive health services, including administering DMPA contraceptive injections,” he revealed.
Dr Ireland said these services, though fee-based, reflected the increasing responsibilities pharmacists now bore, including those training as Graphopharmacists – professionals who integrated graphic and pharmaceutical knowledge to educate clients effectively.
On the subject of leadership, he said the seminar sought to address critical questions around motivation, influence, collaboration, and vision – attributes essential to driving pharmacy practice into the future.
“Leadership is not just about titles. It’s about doing quality work, building cohesive teams, and making an impact. We are not just dispensers; we are managers and leaders in our communities,” he said.
Dr Ireland said continuous professional development remained a core strategy for building leadership competencies among pharmacists.
He cited recent training in opioid stewardship as an example of ongoing efforts to equip pharmacists with tools to address community challenges.
Touching on outreach and regulation, Dr Ireland said the number of community pharmacists in underserved areas had increased, helping to curb the activities of unlicensed drug peddlers.
He urged the public to consult only licensed pharmacists or over-the-counter medicine sellers approved by the Pharmacy Council.
“Medicines should not be peddled under the sun. They degrade, expire prematurely, and become harmful. Let’s protect our communities by ensuring they receive proper pharmaceutical care,” he said.
Also addressing participants, Mr. William Kofi Nti, Chief Executive Officer of Add Pharma Ghana Ltd, delivered a presentation on “The Business Leader in You”, urging pharmacists to move beyond dispensing and embrace innovation, people management, and mentorship.
He encouraged younger pharmacists to proactively build business and leadership skills and urged policymakers to engage pharmacy leaders in national health strategies and campaigns.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Demikianlah Artikel Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery
Anda sekarang membaca artikel Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery dengan alamat link https://www.punyakamu.com/2025/07/pharmacists-encouraged-to-leverage.html
0 Response to "Pharmacists encouraged to leverage technology for efficient service delivery"
Post a Comment