UG School of Pharmacy Retains National Excellence Award for Second Consecutive Year

For the second year in a row, the University of Ghana (UG) School of Pharmacy has emerged winner of the Prof. N. A. Tackie Award for Excellence in Pharmacy Education at the 2026 Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) Pharma Excellence Awards. The achievement recognises the School’s contribution to pharmacy education and professional training in Ghana.

The latest recognition follows the inaugural win in 2025 and comes as the School prepares to mark 20 years since its establishment in 2007.

The University of Ghana campus hosted this year’s annual gathering of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, bringing together key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector to deliberate on developments in the profession, assess emerging challenges and identify priorities for advancing pharmacy practice and healthcare delivery in Ghana.

The annual conference serves as a platform for professional engagement, knowledge exchange and collaboration among academics, pharmacists, industry representatives and other practitioners. It also enables the PSGH to engage members on issues affecting the profession, promote professional development and recognise outstanding contributions to pharmacy practice and education.

The award comes as the School of Pharmacy prepares to commemorate two decades of pharmaceutical education, with anniversary activities expected to climax in November 2027. Dean of the School, Professor Irene M. A. Kretchy, has indicated that the anniversary will provide an opportunity to reflect on the institution’s development, celebrate achievements and define priorities for the future of pharmaceutical education, research and public health.

Established in 2007 as a constituent school of the University of Ghana College of Health Sciences, the School admitted its first cohort of 34 students in 2008. Of these, 31 graduated in 2012 and recorded a 100 per cent pass rate in the 2013 Ghana Pharmacy Professional Qualifying Examinations. Josephine Ataa Hinneh, a member of the pioneer cohort, emerged as the overall best candidate nationwide and received the John Ocran Award and the Pharmacy Practice Award.

The development of the School has been shaped by successive generations of academic and administrative leadership. The founding Dean, Professor Arthur Commey Sackeyfio, played a pioneering role in establishing the academic and institutional foundations that have supported its growth.

As preparations for the 20th anniversary continue, the School is reconnecting with members of the founding generation and recognising the contributions of faculty, alumni, students and professional partners to its development.

The consecutive award adds to the record of achievement and highlights the continuing contribution of the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy to the training of pharmacists, pharmaceutical research and the advancement of healthcare in Ghana.