PHARM88 Fund and Foundation have been launched with a call on Old Students Associations to endeavor to give back to their institutions to promote continuous growth.
PHARM88 is a group made up of pharmacists who passed out from KNUST in 1988 with the common aim of ensuring that all pharmacy students successfully completed their education.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially present cheque for the seed money of GHC88,000, to cater for the distressed students in Accra, the group, led by its President, Emmanuel Kwesi Eghan, Principal Technical Advisor, MSH- USA, said the initiative is to celebrate their 30th milestone out of school which also aims at ensuring that all Pharmacy Students successfully complete pharmacy education whiles at the KNUST.
He indicated that the group is optimistic of extending the student support initiative to other pharmacy faculties and institutions nationwide.
“No Pharmacy Students should drop out of school for lack of financial resources due to a change in circumstances such as death of parents or background or poverty,” he said.
Congratulating the group for their initiative targeted at supporting Ghanaian pharmacy students, former Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST, Prof. Mahama Duweijua urged the members to continue with their vision of giving back to their school and also supporting the financially distressed students.
“It is always important to show gratitude to old school, teachers and parents as it comes with huge blessing. It is a noble initiative that must be emulated by all to help grow the economy from different dimensions, ‘’he said.
Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director-General, Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and a member of the Phama88, mentioned that the country has enourmouse human resources both local and abroad of which it can consider to help turnaround the economy.
“We need to begin to look within for highly skilled Ghanaian trained human capital from both local and abroad to push the economy to the next level,”he stated.
As part of the programme, the group presented a plaque and cheque to Dr. Leslie Atta Akplah, the best all round Doctor of Pharmacy Student for 2018.
The PHARM88 batch includes –Prof. Dodoo who is also the Past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), Eunice Akosua Ofosua Amoako, Global President- KNUST Alumni Association & Past National Chair – The Lady Pharmacists Association of Ghana (LAPAG), Mr Benoni Commodore, Manager Pharmacy Operations, Nyack Health System, New York USA and Getrude Dorcas Laryea, among others.