The National leadership of the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has joined the ensuing chaos at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) over developments between the board and the pharmacy department.

The association, in what could be described as solidarity with the heads of pharmacies who were recently asked to proceed on leave for a forensic audit to be conducted, has lashed out at the management of the hospital questioning the motive behind their action and the peddling of the ‘so-called’ forensic audit report in the media.

GHOSPA claimed the ‘self-serving report’ tone and passion of the board chairman and the hastiness of the hospital management to put out in the public the report were deliberate ploys to tarnish the hard-worn integrity and reputation of pharmacists in the public sector and those in Korle-Bu in particular.

“GHOSPA is worried that the Ministry of Health/Teaching Hospital Board will issue a directive to pharmacists who have no responsibility whatsoever for drug procurement process to proceed on leave for a forensic audit when the acting chief administrator, head of procurement and principal players in the drug procurement process remain at post,” read a released signed by the GHOSPA secretary, Franklin Acheampong.

The association also expressed shock at the hasty and blatantly discriminatory manner in which the new minister sought to reverse the directive of his predecessor in the appointment of a CEO for Korle-Bu.

“We are surprised because the association knows that the current CEO has absolutely no experience and training in health, hospital management and public service and administration,” it stated.

According to GHOSPA, those actions taken by the Minister of Health, board and management were deliberate attempts to victimise and gag key union leaders and undermine the image of professional pharmacists in a bid to settle personal scores.

The association has, therefore, entreated the Minister of Health to as a matter of urgency halt the chaos in Korle-Bu by suspending the directive for the four pharmacists to proceed on leave.

“GHOSPA calls for an independent, objective audit of both the Pharmacy Department of Korle-Bu, and the same be extended to the tenure of the current CEO and the board. Such an audit should query not just financials, but appointments, dismissals and key decisions taken by the present board and management of the board,” it stated.

Meanwhile, GHOSPA has asked its colleague pharmacists across the country to display red bands in their premises to register their disapproval of what is going on and as a show of solidarity with their colleagues ‘under siege’ in Korle-Bu.