Accra: 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.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Ireland stated at the Leadership and Professional Development Seminar of the third Annual Community Pharmacy Month Celebration (3CPMC25) that timely information is crucial in healthcare to ensure patient survival and thriving. He noted that AI's capacity to analyse large data sets was guiding the profession towards better health data management, which would inform policy decisions. The event was part of a theme aimed at promoting engagement with pharmacists, in partnership with the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA).
Dr Ireland highlighted that technology had made pharmacy services more efficient by reducing client interaction time by up to 60 per cent while improving the quality of care. He noted the alignment of Ghanaian pharmacy practices with global standards set by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), which includes various expanded roles for pharmacists.
He reported that nearly 1,000 pharmacists have been trained to provide vaccination services, with additional training in other areas such as Medication Therapy Management and affordable sexual and reproductive health services. The seminar also focused on leadership attributes essential for advancing pharmacy practice, emphasizing the importance of continuous professional development.
Dr Ireland addressed outreach and regulation, noting an increase in community pharmacists in underserved areas. He emphasized the importance of consulting licensed pharmacists to ensure proper pharmaceutical care and discourage unlicensed drug peddling.
In a presentation at the seminar, Mr. William Kofi Nti, CEO of Add Pharma Ghana Ltd, encouraged pharmacists to embrace roles beyond dispensing, including innovation and mentorship, and called for engagement of pharmacy leaders in national health strategies.
