Dr Mrs Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt, former Director of Technical Coordination, Ministry of Health, has urged community pharmacists to intensify their involvement in government-led healthcare programmes to enhance their visibility and impact in society.
Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Third Annual Community Pharmacy Month Celebration (CPMC 2025) held in Accra on Wednesday, she emphasised the need for pharmacists to be present “at the table” where health policies were made and implemented.
“The only way we can also show that we are doing what the government is asking us to do is to participate in some of the things that government is doing,” he said.
“They will then begin to appreciate that you are bringing something to the table. If you are not around the table, you cannot have a conversation. And so, we have to be at the table,” she advised.
The event, organised by the Community Practice Pharmacists Association (CPPA) and supported by the Health Community of West Africa (HCOWA), was on the theme: “We Are Doing More – Consult Your Pharmacist!”
She encouraged pharmacists to take up roles in district health teams, adopt electronic record systems, and participate in national programmes such as the National Health Insurance Scheme and Malaria Control to generate data and showcase their contribution.
Dr Mrs Gyansa-Lutterodt highlighted the potential of pharmacists in addressing non-communicable diseases and public health emergencies, adding: “Let the people know that we are doing more.”

Dr Emmanuel Kwaku Ireland, the Chairman of CPPA, reiterated that pharmacists were stepping up in numerous ways, including health promotion, disease prevention, medication therapy management, and sexual and reproductive health services.
He disclosed that nearly 1,000 community pharmacists had been trained to provide vaccination services, 300 in Medication Therapy Management, and 160 in administering long-term contraceptives such as Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate injections.
Dr Ireland expressed concern that some individuals especially the youth, had resorted to misusing opioids, despite their legitimate use for pain relief, calling it a growing threat to public health.

“Medicines are like bullets -if not used well, they will kill you. Pharmacists are the gatekeepers in the communities. There is no pharmacist worth his salt who would give out such medication irresponsiblyy.”
“As part of this celebration, we are heading to the Koforidua Market to educate the public on opioid misuse. It is something we do regularly, and we will continue to raise awareness,” he said.
Dr Ireland urged pharmacists to serve as each other’s keeper and reinforce community education, stressing that pharmacists were available to guide patients towards proper and safe medication use.
The CPMC 2025 celebration also honoured departed heroes of the pharmacy profession, including Dr Nana Michael Agyekum Addo, Ted Benasko, and Mohammed Zia-UlHak Zibrim, who was tragically shot last month in Bolgatanga. A minute of silence was observed in their memory.
Mr Kwabena Asante Offei, the Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, echoed calls for structural inclusion of pharmacists in national health planning.
He endorsed the Early Career Pharmaceutical Group’s #HirePharmacistsNow campaign, noting that pharmacists unemployment in the face of healthcare vacancies must be urgently addressed.
“We are no longer at a place where there are too few pharmacists. We have more than enough, so we have no excuse,” he said.
He said pharmacists played a central role not just in dispensing medication, but also in influencing how people perceived, managed, and trusted their healthcare.

Mr Prince Dogbey, Vice President of the Health Community of West Africa, expressed confidence in community pharmacists’ role as first responders and revealed that his organisation was working with CPPA on several initiatives, including AI-driven pharmaceutical supply chains, traceable logistics, and exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Chinese pharmacists.
The celebration will feature a scientific symposium on opioid stewardship, leadership and professional development seminars, health outreach in Koforidua, Rx Games in Accra, and will climax with a Gala Night on August 1, where the new CPPA logo will be unveiled.
Fraternal messages were delivered by allied bodies such as the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association, Industrial Pharmacists Association, and the Nigerian Association of Pharmacists, who all encouraged professionalism, unity, and innovation within the sector.
CPMC 2025 aims to promote the value of community pharmacy in primary healthcare, empower professionals with knowledge and skills, and celebrate the contributions of pharmacists to national development.