21 Dispensary Assistants Pass Out

At least 21 students drawn from hospitals and health centres across the country last Friday 18th September, 2009, graduated after successfully completing 20 months Dispensary Assistant Programme, at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital(RVTH).

This programme, initiated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the RVTH through the Pharmacy Department, started some two decades ago.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the RVTH, Mr. Essa Marenah, the Principal Pharmacist who is also the Course Co-ordinator pointed out that the programme which was started in November 2007 was completed in July 2009, though the target was 18 months.

“The programme is divided into five modules with theory covering many areas of pharmaceutical sciences, including pharmacy law and ethics, drug information sources, pharmacy practice, good dispensing practice, dosage forms, basic human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, therapeutic and drug management,” he said.

According to him, the practical sessions cover productions of various forms of dosages, such as syrups, creams, ointments, antiseptic solutions, eye drop, among others. He revealed that 15 out of 21 students that have undergone the programme successfully passed the course with only 6 failures. This, he added, is a very good performance.

Mr. Marenah commended the management of the RVTH for allowing their resources to be used for the training of assistants. He also commended Mr. Jimmy Olu Coker, Jennifer (Canadian), and TAC Pharmacist for their tireless efforts during the course.

For his part, Mr.Jimmy Olu Coker of Banjul Pharmacy cum President of the West Africa Post-graduate College advised the students to work as a team, noting that pharmacy is a very demanding area in health sector. Noting that they need consultation with colleagues on anything they do, he said, as a pharmacist one needs to avoid unethical work.

“The sky is the limit as this is just a stepping stone. You need to exercise patience when you are doing your work,” he concluded.