The Governing Board and members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) have called on the government as a matter of urgency to set up an independent investigation body to probe the whole Kinapharma-cocaine incident.

According to them, the body should also pay particular attention to the impact of this on the local pharmaceutical industry and to make recommendations on how such incidents could be averted in future. They further called on the government to ensure that Kinapharma receives all the support and relief needed to continue to be the pharmaceutical giant they have strived over the years to build.

In a statement issued in Accra yesterday and signed by the Executive Secretary of the PSGH, Dennis Sena Awitty, it urged the government to ensure that the noble profession of pharmacy, the local pharmaceutical industry, and Ghana's wealth of experts in pharmacy are treated with the highest regard and dignity as befits any other intellectual/professional organization, stressing that "This is crucial for the good of public health in Ghana".

The statement also appealed to the government to ensure that there is a provision of a fair and transparent framework for regulating the pharmaceutical sector in general in Ghana, paying particular heed to the concerns and anxieties of all the major players including pharmacists, the local pharmaceutical industry, importers, exporters, doctors, nurses and the general public.

The pharmacists further called on the government to set up an independent investigation into the circumstances leading to the issuance of the letter of interdiction by the Minister of Health to Dr. Alex Dodoo, Board Chairman of FDB, and also the President of the PSGH.

Additionally, the Pharmacists have expressed worry and grave concern over certain incidents and occurrences in recent weeks that have affected the pharmacy profession. Whilst the issues are many, including the unprofessional communication regarding the recall of essential pharmaceutical products from the market, the PSGH will like to restrict itself to only the two issues.

These are; the unfair interdiction of the Chairman of the Food and Drugs Board, Dr. Alex Dodoo who is the re-elected President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), through a letter from the Minister of Health, Dr. Benjamin Kumbour and subsequent media publications over allegations against him without notice and without giving him a hearing.

The manner in which Police and Media handled the Kinapharma-Cocaine hoax, wrongly impacted negatively on the image of pharmacists and the local pharmaceutical industry in Ghana

The PSGH, therefore, wishes to state that all attempts to meet the Minister for Health and officials of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over the issue, relating to the interdiction of the FDB Board chairman, who is also the PSGH President, have failed. In the particular case of our sector Minister, a formal request to meet him to discuss the issue has been pending since 30th November, 2009, and no formal communication/response has been received to date.

Subsequent media reports in one newspaper, indicating that the President of the PSGH had "squandered millions of FDB money in the wrong capacity", sought to damage his reputation and that of the PSGH.

The conduct of the Police Service and related agencies, the level of media coverage and publicity gives the impression of an attempt to impugn on the hard-won professional and business niche that an illustrious pharmacist like Pharm. Kofi Nsiah-Poku has carved for himself and his company, Kinapharma. This action poses a threat to any industry in Ghana and sends very wrong signals to investors.

The Police, the SFO and all similar institutions beyond protecting individual and social liberties must be conscious of the need to protect professional, corporate, social and individual reputation and images.

The PSGH is conscious of the strategic importance of pharmacy, pharmacists and the pharmaceutical industry in both the nation's health and economic aspirations. The PSGH believes that these acts and omissions should not pass without any effort to avoid their repetition and also to provide appropriate relief for those affected.