Accra, July 17, GNA - Ghanaians have been urged to patronise the services of pharmacies and licensed chemical sellers in their local communities for their health problems to avoid the influx of patients at the clinics and hospitals. "Pharmacists support the use of pharmacies for blood pressure checks, weight reduction programmes, cholesterol management and blood sugar monitoring. "Pharmacists are the only health professionals available for all people all the time without appointment or direct charges for consultation."

Dr. Alex Dodoo, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG), said this at the launch this year's Annual General Meeting of the Society, which would be held in Tamale on August 13-17 under the theme; "Role of Pharmacy in Enhancing Access to Regenerative Health and Nutrition." He said the time had come for Ghanaians to consider every single pharmacy in the country as a local health centre and urged them to make maximum use of them to ensure the attainment of the country's health goals. Dr Dodoo noted that the Society subscribed to the Ministry of Health's emphasis on regenerative health and nutrition and believed it would contribute to the improvement of the health of the people. "We believe that exercise is medicine and we know that rest is indeed medicine. Appropriate water intake and adequate well-balanced diet are all things pharmacists believe in and have been preaching for generations," he added.