Health Minister directs shift to population-based pharmacy licensing

As part of Ghana’s preparations towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has directed the Pharmacy Council to change the criteria for awarding pharmacy licences from a distance-based system to a population-based approach.

Speaking at a two-day Expanded Stakeholders Retreat, the Minister explained that the existing licensing regime, which focuses on the physical distance between pharmacies, no longer adequately serves the country’s health needs.

He noted that licensing should rather be guided by population size to ensure fair and equitable access to medicines, particularly in underserved and less-resourced communities.

The Minister said the new population-based licensing approach is expected to improve the nationwide distribution of pharmacies and further strengthen Ghana’s drive towards accessible healthcare for all under the UHC agenda.