The Pharmacy Technicians Association of Ghana (PTAG) has called on the government to increase the number of pharmacy technicians employed in the public sector to address the growing number of unemployed practitioners.

PTAG President Pharmatech Michael Gyamprah said more than 4,000 pharmacy technicians are currently unemployed, with some having completed their training as far back as 2020.

He said the Association had worked with the Ministry of Health to secure clearance to employ 150 pharmacy technicians, who are currently undergoing the posting process to their respective districts.

Pharmatech Gyamprah made the call at the 17th Annual General Conference of the Pharmacy Technicians Association of Ghana in Sunyani.

The conference was held on the theme: “The Role of Pharmacy Technicians in Advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.”

He said although the employment of the 150 technicians was a step in the right direction, the number remained inadequate compared with the thousands of trained technicians awaiting employment.

He said the Association was engaging the Ministry of Health to secure additional opportunities for pharmacy technicians.

“We therefore call on the government to increase the allocation for all pharmacy practitioners,” he said.

Pharmatech Gyamprah also called on the Pharmacy Council to strengthen its supervision of institutions that train pharmacy technicians.

He said while Ghana needed more pharmacy professionals, the quality of training must not be compromised.

He further urged the Pharmacy Council to strictly enforce laws restricting the dispensing of certain medicines to qualified pharmacy professionals.

According to him, non-pharmacy practitioners should not be allowed to dispense Class A and B medicines in pharmacies and hospital dispensaries.

He said strict enforcement of the law would help reduce the misuse of antimicrobial medicines.

Pharmatech Gyamprah also said the merger between the Ghana Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) and PTAG had strengthened cooperation within the pharmacy workforce and improved the provision of pharmaceutical care.

He urged pharmacy technicians to accept postings to areas where their services were most needed when employment opportunities became available.

The thematic speaker at the conference, Pharmatech Etse Nkukpornu, said corruption in the pharmaceutical sector could be reduced through stronger checks on the procurement and distribution of medicines.

He said the procurement of medicines should involve open and competitive tendering among properly registered pharmaceutical companies.

“Procurement should not be left in the hands of one person,” he said, stressing the need for trained pharmacy professionals to be involved in the process.

“Let's compare prices against quality. In that case, I’m sure that procurements can be reduced,” he said.

Pharmatech Nkukpornu also called for the installation of CCTV cameras in sensitive areas of pharmacies and hospitals, including storerooms, pharmacies and payment points.

He said the cameras could help deter the theft of medicines and money.

He further called for clear sanctions against workers found taking money from patients at unauthorised locations.

Pharmatech Nkukpornu said reducing corruption also required a change in attitude among health workers and members of the public.

He said the fight against corruption should not be left to the government alone, adding that everyone had a role to play in ensuring that people could access healthcare without being subjected to unauthorised payments.

He said achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, required a collective effort from health workers, the government and the public.