Over 4,000 pharmacy technicians jobless - PTAG demands more jobs, stricter drug control

The Pharmacy Technicians Association of Ghana (PTAG) has appealed to government to employ more pharmacy technicians in the public sector, as over 4,000 trained professionals remain unemployed.

PTAG President, Pharmatech Michael Gyamprah, said some of them have been home since 2020 without posting.

He said the Association, working with the Ministry of Health, secured financial clearance for 150 technicians who are currently being posted to their districts, but noted that the number is woefully inadequate.

He was speaking at the 17th Annual General Conference of PTAG in Sunyani, on the theme: “The Role of Pharmacy Technicians in Advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.”

Pharmatech Gyamprah said the Association is still engaging the Ministry to create more openings and called on government to increase the quota for pharmacy practitioners.

He also urged the Pharmacy Council to tighten supervision of training institutions, saying while the country needs more pharmacy professionals, quality must not be compromised.

He further called on the Council to enforce laws that restrict the dispensing of Class A and B medicines to only qualified pharmacy professionals, warning that allowing non-professionals to dispense such drugs contributes to antimicrobial misuse.

The thematic speaker, Pharmatech Etse Nkukpornu, on his part, said corruption in the pharmaceutical sector can be curbed with stronger controls in medicine procurement and distribution.

He called for open and competitive tendering involving registered pharmaceutical companies, and said procurement should not be left in the hands of one person.

He added that price must be weighed against quality, and also advocated for CCTV cameras in sensitive areas such as storerooms, pharmacies and payment points to deter theft of medicines and cash.