The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS) at the University of Cape Coast has organized its maiden white coat ceremony for its level 400 and level 500 Doctor of Pharmacy students undergoing clinical training.
The white coat ceremony, under the theme: ‘Expanding the Frontiers: Removing the Barriers in Providing Pharmaceutical Care’ was aimed at adorning 122 students from the class of 2025 and 2026 of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Highlighting the significance of the ceremony, the Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Elvis Ameyaw said the event is not only a symbolic and pragmatic level but also signifies the ethical conduct, trust, and duty of the pharmacist as their profession.
He also said the white coat ceremony celebrates the students’ achievements and the promising future that pharmacy offers them.
“As you don these coats, bear in mind the weight of responsibility entrusted to you as future pharmacists and embrace compassion, ethics and professionalism in our practice,” he said while addressing the students.
Professor Elvis Ameyaw congratulated the student pharmacists and emphasized that the University takes pride in their achievements and further pledged their unwavering support to the students in their professional journey.
At the event, the Rector from the Ghana College of Pharmacists and the keynote speaker, Dr. Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Eseeku addressed some challenges young pharmacists face in their career pursuits in Ghana.
She especially pinpointed the misconceptions surrounding the pharmacists’ work as the ones attempting to take over the responsibilities of other career healthcare providers.
Such misconceptions she notes disrupt the effective pharmaceutical care by pharmacists.
“These perceptions result in major attempts at pushback which result in significant challenges to effectively provide pharmaceutical care. In addition, although the career progression for other healthcare professionals following specialization is clear, there is no clear progression plan for pharmacists in private facilities.”
To this, Dr. Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Eseeku advised the young pharmacists to overlook such challenges and rather keep the attitude of service to humanity as their motivation.
She also charged them to take opportunities granted to them to build on their knowledge and skills to improve pharmaceutical care in the country.
“We must take every opportunity to share our knowledge and provide the skills when called upon. This will show everyone how critical we are to the health of the population. We must engage policymakers, our colleague healthcare professionals and our patients and clients. They must know what we have to offer.
Stand up and be counted every single time. I believe that when we meet again, we will see that we are indeed expanding the frontiers and steadily removing barriers to the provision of pharmaceutical care.”
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Source: Angelina Riley Hayford/ATLFMNEWS
