The Ghana National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (GNEPP) has officially commenced operations after a successful pilot program, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has announced.
The Vice President revealed the program has officially taken off to provide Ghanaians with an easier way to purchase drugs online and have them delivered straight to their doorsteps with no ‘wahala’.
Ghana thus becomes the first country in Africa and one of only a few countries in the world with an operational national scale e-pharmacy platform.
The successful launch of the GNEPP follows a challenge thrown by Dr Bawumia to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana in 2019 to digitalise its operations to keep it in line with the Veep’s larger digital agenda.
Bawumia took to social media on Tuesday, January 3rd 2023 to announce the successful operationalisation of the revolutionary platform.
“In 2019, I challenged the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana to take steps in ensuring that Pharmacy services are digitized through the introduction of a national scale e-pharmacy platform.
“The Pharmacy Council took up the charge (with coordination from my office) and I was honored to launch the Ghana National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (GNEPP) in July 2022. After, a successful pilot, I am delighted that today, the GNEPP goes live and Ghana becomes the first country in Africa and one of only a few countries in the world with an operational national scale e-pharmacy platform,” the Vice President wrote.
According to the Vice President, using the platform requires registering with your Ghana card after which you can upload any prescription onto the platform and find a nearby pharmacy with the drug to purchase.
An innovation of the GNEPP is that the drug can be delivered to your doorstep.
“With GNEPP, after registering with your Ghanacard, any prescription can be uploaded onto the platform via mobile phone through https://www.gnepplatform.com/ (or through a USSD code). You can find which pharmacies close to you have the medicines and compare the prices of the medicines across different pharmacies.
“Using your mobile phone, you can order the medicine, pay for it, and have it delivered at home through your digital address or pick it up. You can also be sure that the drugs are not fake because the GNEPP platform is integrated with the FDA platform. With the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform, Ghana will be part of the new pharmaceutical digital economy to boost pharmaceutical sales and generate revenue. GNEPP will also result in less “Wahala” for Ghanaians in the pharmacy space,” the Veep continued.
Bawumia added: “My thanks to the Minister for Health, the Pharmacy Council, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, the NHIA, FDA, Medical and Dental Council, HeFRA, Ghana Nursing and Midwifery Council, Allied Health Professions Council, and the private sector partners for their leadership in making this possible for Ghana. It is a major feat. Ayekoo! God bless our homeland Ghana.”
