Office of Director Pharmaceutical Services

The Office of Director of Pharmaceutical Services (ODPS), under the Office of the Director General, was formally established in May 2021, by GHS Council under the authority of the governing Act of the Service. This called for the appointment of the first Director for the Office, Dr Bismark Attah-Adjepong, with the mandate to give direction and focus to pharmaceutical service delivery in GHS.

The mission of the ODPS is to implement health related policies and programmes that support pharmaceutical services and ensure that all medicines and medical products accessible to all public health facilities meet accepted standards.

The vision is to have quality pharmaceutical services with emphasis on specialist care, pharmacy practice research and human resource development using innovative technological approaches for a healthy population and national development.

Objectives

The objectives of ODPS among others are:

• To ensure that all medicines and medicinal products procured, manufactured and distributed to all public health facilities are of the highest quality
• To support, monitor and evaluate periodically pharmaceutical services in all Regions
• To collaborate with the human resource division to ensure adequate numbers and equitable distribution of skilled pharmacy workforce
• To institutionalize collaborative efforts to build capacity for operational research and contribute to evidenced-based practice.
• To collaborate with statutory and relevant pharmacy and related institutions for specialist training and ensure that hospital
• Pharmacy practice is delivered within the legal framework.
• To ensure that pharmaceutical services in all public health facilities meet the optimum standards for effective and efficient service delivery.

Functions

The main function of ODPS is to provide technical advice to the Director General of Ghana Health Serve on matters related to Pharmaceutical service delivery. Other functions include;

• Facilitate training and monitoring on Standards and Practice of Pharmaceutical Services
• Planning, budgeting and procurement of selected essential medicines for the service
• Responsible for recruitment, equitable distribution and promotion of pharmacists in public health institutions
• Ensure that pharmaceutical services are provided in accordance with the Standards and Practice guidelines for Pharmaceutical Services
• Conduct regular regional monitoring and supportive supervisory visits on pharmaceutical services in the public health facilities.
• Initiate the development and ensure the implementation of technological innovations that improve the quality of pharmaceutical services in accordance with national requirements.
• Provide technical support for national procurement of medicines and other pharmaceuticals.
• Facilitate and conduct operational research on pharmaceutical services and audit in the country and disseminate the results
• Promote and monitor the Rational Use of Medicines (RUM) in all health facilities in Ghana.
• Ensure the establishment and effective functioning of Medicines and Therapeutic Committees in the Regional and District Hospitals in the country

The Director of Pharmaceutical Services also has supervisory role and oversight responsibility over pharmaceutical services in all Regions and Districts in Ghana. The office works closely with all Regional Chief Pharmacists to ensure prudent management of medicines at the Regional Medical Stores to maintain supply chain integrity and sustainability.

The ODPS has strong working relationship and collaboration with Ministry of Health and its agencies like Pharmacy Council, Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana College of Pharmacy; and tertiary training institutions for Pharmacists and other Pharmacy related professionals in Ghana.