The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has officially directed the Pharmacy Council to overhaul the national criteria for awarding pharmacy licenses, shifting from a distance-based model to a population-based system. This strategic reform is a central component of Ghana’s broader efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensure that essential pharmaceutical services are more equitably distributed across the country.
Speaking at a two-day Expanded Stakeholders Retreat, the Minister explained that the previous regulatory framework, which primarily restricted licenses based on the physical proximity between competing pharmacies, no longer aligns with the nation’s evolving healthcare requirements.
He emphasized that by prioritizing population density and community size over mere distance, the government can effectively bridge the gap in medicine access, particularly within underserved and rural populations. This new directive aims to eliminate “pharmacy deserts” and create a more responsive business environment for pharmacists that directly correlates with the actual needs of the public.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
