By Eugene Nyarko Jnr. | British Council, Accra | July 9, 2026
The Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA) has reaffirmed the critical role of community pharmacists in bridging gaps in Ghana’s primary healthcare delivery system, describing them as indispensable partners in the country’s quest to achieve universal health coverage.
The National Chairperson of CPPA, Dr. (Pharm) Therestella Obosu Tei-Kwabla, made the assertion during the launch of the 4th Community Pharmacy Month Celebration and Bazaar held at the British Council in Accra on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
The celebration, which was held on the theme “Community Pharmacist: Bridging the Gap in Primary Health Care Delivery,” brought together pharmacists, healthcare professionals, policymakers and stakeholders to highlight the contribution of community pharmacies to healthcare access across the country.
Dr. Tei-Kwabla said community pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals in Ghana, with their presence extending to towns, cities, villages and communities nationwide.
“Every day, people walk into pharmacies because we are the first healthcare professionals a patient meets and, in many cases, the bridge between the community and the wider healthcare system,” she stated.
According to her, community pharmacists are not only responsible for dispensing medicines but also play a broader role in public health education, disease prevention and improving healthcare outcomes.
She noted that the 2026 Community Pharmacy Month celebration had been carefully designed to demonstrate the profession’s commitment to serving society beyond the pharmacy counter.
Activities lined up for the month include a mega community health outreach, public health education campaigns, professional development programmes, a bazaar to support pharmacists and entrepreneurs, as well as donations to the Kumasi Central Prison and the Osu Children’s Home.
“These humanitarian activities reflect our belief that healthcare is a right for everyone. We recognise that there are vulnerable populations who often have limited access to healthcare and medicines,” Dr. Tei-Kwabla said.
She called on corporate institutions, development partners and individuals to support CPPA’s initiatives aimed at improving healthcare delivery and reaching underserved communities.
“Together, I believe strongly that we can touch more lives, restore health and build a healthier community,” she added.
The CPPA Chairperson also urged community pharmacists to embrace innovation, digital technology, lifelong learning and ethical practices to remain trusted partners in Ghana’s healthcare system.
She expressed her vision of building “a stronger, united and more influential community pharmacist practice” that empowers members, supports young pharmacists, strengthens business groups and contributes meaningfully to national healthcare policies.
CPPA Honours Pioneers of Community Pharmacy
The Immediate Past Chairman of the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA), Dr. (Pharm) Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland, paid glowing tribute to the pioneers whose vision and leadership laid the foundation for community pharmacy practice in Ghana.
Addressing participants at the launch, Dr. Ireland recalled the contributions of former leaders of the association, noting that their sacrifices continue to shape the profession today.
He said the late Pharm. Harrison Kofi Abutiate served as Chairman of the then General Practice Pharmacists Association (GPPA) from 1990 to 1994, while the late Nana Dr. Pharm. Michael Agyekum Addo succeeded him and served from 1994 to 2000, strengthening the association and advancing community pharmacy practice.
According to him, the late Pharm. Ted Bernasko, who served as Chairman from 2000 to 2004, spearheaded the transition of the association’s name from the General Practice Pharmacists Association (GPPA) to the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA), ushering in a new era for the profession.
He also recognised Pharm. Mrs. Doris Atafua, the association’s first and only female Chairperson, who led CPPA from 2004 to 2008 and remains the only surviving leader among the association’s early chairpersons.
Dr. Ireland, who initiated the annual Community Pharmacy Month celebration, disclosed that these pharmacy legends were honoured during the maiden Community Pharmacy Month Celebration in 2023 in recognition of their immense contribution to community pharmacy practice in Ghana.
Quoting leadership expert John C. Maxwell, he said, “Leaders know the way, go the way and show the way,” adding that the pioneering leaders had demonstrated exemplary leadership throughout their service.
“Their legacy lives on, and that is the reason we celebrate Community Pharmacy Month every year,” he stated.
Patients Must Remain the Centre of Pharmacy Practice
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Pharm. Owusu Donkor (PhD), who was the Special Guest of Honour, called on pharmacists across the country to remain united and prioritise patient welfare above all interests.
He said although pharmacists may practise in different sectors—including community, hospital, industrial pharmacy and academia—they all share the common responsibility of protecting the health of Ghanaians.
“Whether we are community pharmacists, hospital pharmacists, industrial pharmacists or in academia, we are first and foremost pharmacists. Our primary responsibility is safeguarding the health of the everyday Ghanaian,” he stated.
Pharm. Donkor urged members of the profession to put aside internal divisions and strengthen collaboration for the benefit of patients.
“Let the infighting stop. We are there one for another. Community pharmacy must also be seen as the base for all of us,” he said.
He also praised Dr. Ireland for introducing Community Pharmacy Month, describing the annual celebration as a vision that has continued to unite and promote the profession over the past four years.
Communication Key to Better Healthcare Delivery
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. (Pharm) John Allotey, Co-Founder and Partner of Allotey & Associates and Chief Executive Officer of the Level Up Mentorship Programme, challenged pharmacists to improve communication with patients, colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
He argued that the greatest danger in any pharmacy is not necessarily expired medicines or dispensing errors but “a pharmacist who does not know how to talk.”
According to Dr. Allotey, pharmacists must move beyond merely giving instructions to patients and instead focus on building understanding through meaningful communication.
“A bridge that cannot communicate is not a bridge. It is, at best, a very expensive wall,” he remarked.
He encouraged pharmacists to adopt patient-centred communication methods such as the teach-back approach to ensure patients fully understand how to use their medicines.
Dr. Allotey also stressed the need for stronger communication within pharmacy teams and greater collaboration between pharmacists, doctors and other healthcare professionals.
“When you flag a drug interaction, suggest a more affordable alternative or recommend a referral, you are not overstepping. You are doing precisely what your years of pharmacy training equipped you to do,” he noted.
He urged pharmacists to build trust through effective communication, compassion and professionalism, saying the true measure of their careers would not be the number of prescriptions they dispensed but the lives they transformed.
“The community pharmacist who bridges that gap with their voice, their presence and their humanity does not merely treat patients; they transform patients,” he concluded.
The month-long Community Pharmacy Month celebration will feature health screenings, public education campaigns, continuing professional development programmes, outreach activities, humanitarian interventions, a bazaar, a dinner and awards night, and other initiatives aimed at promoting the indispensable role of community pharmacists in strengthening Ghana’s primary healthcare system.
