around the world

New Partnership Forged ONU moves forward with plans in Ghana. Ohio Northern University’s (ONU) Raabe College of Pharmacy has begun an educational partnership with the Pharmacy Council of Ghana and the school of pharmacy at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Together they will implement a doctoral program of pharmacy in the West African country. The three groups will help KNUST transition its pharmacy education from the current bachelor’s degree to a Doctor of Pharmacy. The partnership was sparked by a West African Health Organization initiative—of which Ghana is the lead country—to standardize medical education and the standard of care. With the region’s most advanced social, educational and political structures, Ghana has been tasked in moving West Africa’s pharmacy education forward.

During the signing ceremony, T.C Fleischer, dean of pharmacy at KNUST, stressed the need for this important understanding with their counterpart from the United States. “ONU is poised to influence pharmacy care across a subcontinent,” said Dr. Jeffrey Talbot, assistant professor of pharmacology at ONU, who was instrumental in fostering this new partnership. “Our role is to provide guidance and expertise in three specific areas: to shape their doctoral curriculum, to contribute to the continuing education of pharmacists and to develop experiential learning for students.”

“Ghana is making the commitment as a nation to elevate the standard of care,” said Dr. Jon E. Sprague, dean of pharmacy at Ohio Northern University. “One of the most striking aspects of my visit to Ghana stemmed from my interactions with practicing pharmacists in hospital and community settings. From very different perspectives, they all expressed the same need for an increase in academic clinical training and for changes in pharmacy practice that allow them to apply these clinical skills.”

Above: Joseph Nyoagbe, registrar of Pharmacy Council of Ghana, Dr. Jon E. Sprague, dean of pharmacy at Ohio Northern University, and Peter Donkor, pro vice-chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Right: Ton Hoek (left) received a joint letter of congratulations from AACP, AAPS, APhA and ASHP after being named an officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau, a royal declaration bestowed by the Queen of the Netherlands.

A Fond Farewell

The global pharmacy community mourns the loss of a leader. A.J.M. (Ton) Hoek, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) CEO and general secretary, passed away on July 28 after a short but courageous battle with cancer. Hoek took the helm of FIP in 1999 and since that time brought the federation to new levels of development and accomplishment. He solidified key global partnerships with the World Health Organization and incorporated FIP as a founding partner in the World Health Professions Alliance. Hoek’s outreach efforts made FIP an influential global stakeholder in medications and health. His work also raised the image of the pharmacist as a healthcare provider around the world. He was named an officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau, a royal declaration bestowed by the Queen of the Netherlands.

The culmination of Hoek’s vision is evidenced in the events that will take place at the upcoming FIP Centennial Congress, including a Ministers Summit on The Responsible Use of Medicines, organized by the Dutch Ministry of Health. This dream was in the making for many years and will be realized to its fullest potential thanks to his efforts. “Ton set the bar for pharmacy in international affairs quite high, stating that ‘Whenever pharmaceuticals and their management are on the agenda, FIP will be at the table,’” commented Dr. Lucinda L. Maine, Ph.D., R.Ph., AACP executive vice president and CEO. “He will be sorely missed and long remembered.”

academic Pharmacy now  Fall 2012

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