With this initiative, subscribers on the platform will be able to enter drug prescription requests for purchase and be linked to a number of licensed pharmacy shops online where they can compare the prices of medication and be assured of quality products.
The Pharmacy Council Ghana, on July 13, 2022, today announced the launch of the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NePP) to be made available nationwide as part of plans to enforce standards, improve patient access to pharmaceutical services and ensure that consumers can purchase medications without having to visit a physical pharmacy.
The platform, the first of its kind on a national scale in Africa is an initiative of the Pharmacy Council with support from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Health Facility Regulatory Authority (HEFRA), Medical and Dental Council (MDC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and Allied Health, is to facilitate the registration of clients as registered users of NePP, run and automate the general workflow and pharmacy administration management process and facilitate the creation and management of purchase requests and delivery.
In December 2021, the Council, in order to provide continuity in the quality and climate of delivering pharmaceutical services electronically, launched the policy and guidelines for the electronic pharmacy platform. The policy is to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, promote operational efficiency, and manage institutional risk by specifying guidelines for ePharmacy registration, administration, operations, and closure.
“Over the years, the Pharmacy Council, Ghana has developed and rolled out several strategies to ensure that pharmaceutical facilities and pharmaceutical service providers are evenly distributed across the country to improve access to pharmaceutical services. Despite significant improvements in pharmaceutical service delivery, access to quality pharmaceutical services remains a challenge. However, the trajectory of the world today is enough to hint to us that we can pull the power force of digital technology to make improvements in pharmaceutical service delivery in the country, especially to reach communities that remain underserved” – Pharm Alhaji Dr. Audu Rauf, Registrar -Pharmacy Council Ghana.
In September 2021, the number of Over-the-Counter medication sellers (OTCMS) shops licensed by the Council was about 77.5%. Although this number is significant, the aim of the Council is to achieve near-perfect license registration for all the more than 16,000 OTCMS providing pharmaceutical services across the country.
This platform is linked to the database of the Food and Drug Authority and will allow subscribers on the platform to enter drug prescription requests for purchase and be linked to a number of licensed pharmacy shops online with approved medications, where they can compare prices of medication and be assured of quality products. This we believe will bring standardization to the pharmaceutical services provided and ensure price control.
“The Council recognizes the need to safeguard the consumer from the dangers of buying from unlicensed pharmacy operators. It is why we have committed to using regulation and technology to improve access to quality pharmaceutical care, by promoting health wellness, and disease prevention, and eliminating the incidence of unlicensed pharmacy operators” – said the Registrar.
About Pharmacy Council
The Pharmacy Council is established by Part IV of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013, (ACT 857) as a body corporate with perpetual succession. It is governed by a nine (9) member Governing Board with the mandate of securing in the public interest the highest standards in the practice of pharmacy in the country. To ensure access to quality healthcare, the Council conducts examinations and issues licenses to qualified Pharmacies and over-the-counter medicine sellers to ensure that the public has access to quality healthcare
About NePP
The National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NEPP) is a technological platform commissioned by the Pharmacy Council of Ghana to facilitate safe and secure access to medications and pharmaceutical services in Ghana whilst protecting the consumers’ confidentiality. The platform offers subscribers unlimited access to online Pharmacies and Pharmacists for medicine purchases or inquiries, and courier service to deliver medications within a limited time frame to individuals who make requests. Individuals, Pharmacies, and Pharmacists can visit www.gneppplatform.com to further details.
