Kumasi, Jan. 21, GNA- A four-day internship for 26 newly qualified Pharmacy Students posted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) opened in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The programme, which forms part of the pre-registration training of the new pharmacists aims at developing them to become independent Pharmacists capable of applying their knowledge in practice. The training would include clinical pharmacy activities, medicine information, Aspectic and Technical Services which include local production of medicines, Drug Supply Management System, Quality Assurance of pharmaceutical services which include Quality Control of product and services and Management skills.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Peter Karikari, the Medical Director at KATH who deputised for the Chief Executive of the Hospital told the new Pharmacists that their focus of service should be on the patient and community.

He said as Pharmacists, they should strive to be current in their practice and make use of the internet as much as possible. Dr Karikari told them to conduct research as much as possible and also move into post-graduate training.

Mrs Elizabeth Anima Appiah, Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services (DDPS) and an Education and Training Pharmacist at KATH said, hospital pharmacy was specifically concerned with enhancing improvement in patient care through the promotion of safe, effective and economic use of medicines.

She said to ensure that KATH responded to the changing needs of a modern health service, the hospital aimed at working as closely as possible with all health care and other professionals and that they would be part of this service during the internship. Mrs Anima Appiah said KATH being a first class teaching hospital and an excellent training site, will expose them to all the relevant areas that will aid them to come out as good practitioners.