Tell us about your background.
I am a Clinical Pharmacologist and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences but now I am on sabbatical leave and have taken appointment as Dean, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
I have Bachelor of Pharmacy from KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana , MSc in Clinical Pharmacology from University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, Certificate in Public Health Science, Research Design and Ethics from the Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg, Sweden and the PhD Pharmacy (Social Pharmacy) from the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Which degree did you complete at UEF?
PhD
Which subjects did you study?
Drug Utilization and Pharmacoepidemiology, Pharmacoeconomics, Biostatistics, Advance Courses in Epidemiology, Health Policy, Financial Management in Health Care, Pharmacotherapy & Other Courses in School of Pharmacy, AI Virtanen Institute of Molecular Sciences and the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition all at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio. My PhD dissertation was on the role of the Pharmaceutical Sector in the Prevention Management and Control of Malaria in Ghana.
Which department, school or institute did you study in?
Social Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy
What made you apply for admission to our university, in the field of your choice?
I connected to Professor Hannes Enlund of blessed Memory at a SEAM (Strategies for Enhancing Access to Medicines) Conference in Ghana and I had discussions with him about doing PhD in Health Systems and Drug Utilization Research and the rest is history.
Is there a single best moment you remember from your time at UEF?
Celebrating my 40th Birthday with my supervisor and colleagues at the coffee room of the research groupt of Social Pharmacy. I also had a lot of great moments with families of colleague researchers and in the Social Pharmacy research group, and my supervisor and his family who immersed me into the best of the Finnish culture. They surprised me by putting photos of all these beautiful memories into an album that was given to me as a parting gift during my graduation party after the PhD studies.
How has your career progressed since graduation?
I came to do PhD studies as a Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice from KNUST, Kumasi. After my PhD studies and on return, I was promoted to the position of Senior Lecturer based on the number of publications I had including those from PhD work. In 2016, I was promoted to Associate Professor and then 2021 Professor of Pharmacy Practice. I have served KNUST as Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and until my new appointment at UHAS in Ho, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST. On the national front I am a member of the National Medicines Select Committee, responsible for the development and review of the National Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List. The last document we produced was the STG for COVID 19 Management.
Currently, I am the Deputy Chair of Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination Committee and Lead of the Technical Working Group for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Ghana. I am also a Fellow and Vice President of the Ghana College of Pharmacist and also Fellow of the West Africa Post Graduate College of Pharmacist.
How have you taken advantage of what you learned at the university in your professional life?
The knowledge and skills I acquired, as well as the networks I had whilst studying in Finland has helped me immensely in all my professional and academic work post PhD studies.
What is the best thing about your professional life right now?
Links and networks across the globe to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
What is your motto in the world of work?
Dedication, integrity and honesty.
Anything else you would like to add?
I am grateful to the late Professor Karl Hannes Enlund and family, the Centre for International Mobility Organisation (CIMO), Finnish Cultural Organisation and Colleague Researchers and Faculty that I met whilst studying in Kuopio for the hospitality and financial support that enabled me to enjoy my stay in Finland in the pursuit of my terminal degree in Academia. I am also grateful once again for the links to Professor Marja Airaksinen and Dr Inka Puumalainen both in Helsinki and Alumni of UEF who are part of my professional networks in pharmacy now.
