–new council commits to digitising all processes to ensure seamless delivery of services, review of pharmacy laws, among other things
THE Ministry of Health has announced the members of the Pharmacy Council of Guyana Board who began serving from April 1, 2024.

Dr Karishma Jeeboo is tasked with heading the board until March 31, 2026 in her capacity as chairperson. The other members of the board are: Vice-Chairperson, Ms Carol-Ann Lam; council members Ms Shundell Seymour-Williams, Ms Mary Ramsaroop, Ms Zoe Grenville-Forde, and Ms Clauida Hinds; Registrar/Secretary, Ms Erica Ward; ex-officio member, Mr Sookdeo Singh; Guyana Medical Council Representative, Dr Narine Singh; Consumers Association Representative, Mr Khame Sharma; and Legal Representative, Ms Nakesha Cosbert.

The main functions of the pharmacy council, according to the Pharmacy Practitioners’ Act 2003, are to regulate the practice of pharmacy in accordance with this Act; establish, maintain, and develop the standards for the practice of pharmacy; establish, maintain and develop standards of professional ethics among members of the pharmacy profession; publish, distribute and disseminate in a manner that the council thinks fit, literature and information relevant to the pharmacy profession; and conduct mandatory continuing educational sessions for practising pharmacists.

The council is also tasked with establishing, maintaining and developing an internship programme; registering pharmacists, practising pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and pharmacy interns; and performing other duties as may be necessary in the discharge of its functions.

The new Pharmacy Council has so far committed to digitising all processes to ensure seamless registration of pharmacists, practising pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and pharmacy interns; streamlining the internship programme to ensure pharmacy interns garner the most from this experience, and offering mandatory continuing education sessions for pharmacists and pharmacy assistants.

It is also the intention of the council, according to the Health Ministry, to develop and enforce standards for professional practice and ethics for pharmacy professionals, and host a website for the council to inform processes regarding registration, temporary registration, accreditation, and the assignment of credits for continuing education sessions.

The website would include a yearly list of registered pharmacy professionals so that the public can be informed.
The Pharmacy Council also plans to publish literature and information relevant to the pharmacy profession for pharmacy professionals and the public, and enable the review of the pharmacy laws of Guyana, with the Pharmacy Practitioners’ Act of 2003 and its regulations being a priority.
The council will be set up with functioning committees guided by the chairperson and vice-chairperson to ensure this work is accomplished over the next two years.