– Calls for Acceleration in Provision of Healthcare by Pharmacists
The President, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Dr Dominique Jordan has released a cheering news to pharmacists across the globe, saying 40 countries of the world currently have pharmacists as vaccinators as pharmacy-based vaccination is now globally accepted.
He also argued that if the universal health coverage will become a reality, then growth in the provision and use of essential health services through pharmacy must accelerate further.
Mr Jordan said that the global health emergency of COVID-19 has proved that “pharmacists and pharmacies are integral to a well-functioning healthcare system” and that the profession has advanced at an “unprecedented rate”, expanding its scope of activities to provide more services.
“For example, according to FIP data as of August 2022, pharmacy-based vaccination is now available in at least 40 countries and territories — 20 more than in 2016”, he stated.
The number-one pharmacist in the world gave this hint in his address on Sunday, at the opening ceremony of the 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Serville, Spain.
Also joining Jordan in the address, the FIP Vice-President, Prof. Ashok Soni, noted that pharmacists now have good evidence to share, reflect on and use to transform pharmacy globally, so that the pharmacy profession is fully equipped to contribute to present and future challenges facing health systems.
On behalf of the FIP President, Prof. Soni urged the Pharmacy sector to “create more comprehensive plans to better manage health crises that may be on the horizon, not only future pandemics, but also urgencies resulting from global problems such as undiagnosed hypertension, obesity, antimicrobial resistance and poor access to immunisations”.
Soni said that as the global leader of pharmacy, FIP has continued to advocate the expansion of vaccination by pharmacists as part of its strategy to advance the profession, before going on to outline other strategic actions FIP has taken during the pandemic, including:
Implementing a new membership engagement programme delivered through a variety of events designed to identify the priorities of nations and regions in the years ahead to 2030;
Continuing to develop the FIP Global Pharmaceutical Observatory as the most comprehensive and respected source of pharmacy data and intelligence;
Leading the profession with a wide range of resources to facilitate role and service expansion, including standards, FIP tools and FIP-approved training through the FIP Provision and Partnerships Programme and the awarding of the FIP Seal; and
Tackling inequity and inequality, both within the pharmacy workforce and in healthcare access, through FIP’s EquityRx programme.
