That, he indicated, would prevent the unlicensed pharmacists from selling and dispensing dangerous drugs to the public.

Confidence

Their exposure and elimination from the system, Dr Danquah said, would enable the public to have confidence in the operations of the licensed pharmacists. Dr Danquah made the call when he addressed owners of pharmacy shops (proprietors), Off-the Counter Medicine Sellers (OTCMS) in the Eastern Region in Koforidua, the regional capital, on May 10, this year.

Challenges

The meeting enabled the pharmacists and non-pharmacists and at the same time know their challenges and how best to address them.

Electronic pharmacy

It was also to introduce pharmacy proprietors and non-pharmacists to electronic pharmacy procedures to better improve their services to the public. He told the pharmacy proprietors that since they were together and knew each other, they would be able to know the unlicensed or bad ones who should be exposed and stopped from operating.

Owners of pharmacy shops in Koforidua

"Because you are together and know each other, you will be able to identify those without licences and all bad nuts to be exposed and expelled from operating any pharmacist or over-the-counter shops," Dr Danquah stated.

Dr Danquah said exposing the bad lots, the regulator would be able to take action against such unscrupulous persons operating within their ranks. That, he indicated, would provide security for the ordinary Ghanaian who depended on their services.

Variations

Touching on the sale of drugs, the Pharmacy Council acting Registrar indicated that there should not be wide variations in the prices of the same or similar drugs put on sale. Dr Danquah stated that the pharmacy sector was a well-regulated area, and as such its activities affected human lives.

He indicated that some pharmacy proprietors and OTCMS at times went beyond their mandate and sold dangerous drugs to the public.