The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has urged the government to urgently integrate community pharmacies into the national primary healthcare system and declare illegal mining (galamsey) a public health emergency.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the close of the Society’s 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The AGM was themed “Strengthening Pharmacy for Primary Healthcare”.
On environmental health PSGH warned that galamsey poses a direct threat to public health by polluting water bodies, destroying farmlands, and undermining local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
It therefore urged the government to officially declare galamsey a national public health emergency.
Additionally, the Society encouraged the government to leverage the 24-hour economy policy to strengthen local pharmaceutical production, reduce reliance on imports, and create sustainable jobs.
To further enhance professional recognition, PSGH announced the adoption of “Dr. (Pharm)” as the official title for pharmacists with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, while those without will continue to use the prefix “Pharm”.