A three-day 17 international pharmacy conference, on ‘Pharmacy Profession and 21st Century’ concluded here on Saturday. Renowned scholars from the US, UK, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland presented more than 50 research papers in the conference organised by Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA).
Quaid-e-Azam University VC Prof Dr Masoom Yazdani chaired the concluding session of the conference. Sharing his views on the occasion, he appreciated the organisers for arranging such a successful conference. He said the conference should be a positive step to initiate the thought-provoking debate on the important topic of medicine which is directly linked to the lives of people. He said the third world countries were facing a number of issues and health was one of the major concerns for them.
“The world is a global village now and technology is improving rapidly, so it is imperative for all of us to perform our duties efficiently and work dedicatedly for the welfare of the mankind,” he remarked. He lauded scholars working in the field around the world for experience and knowledge sharing at this conference and hoped that these collective efforts would prove fruitful for nurturing this field and new research studies would a milestone for professionals of this sector.
Pakistan Pharmacists Association President Prof Dr Saeed-ul-Haq, while concluding the conference, said the role of pharmacists should be recognised at all levels as custodians of medicines in public as well as private sector. He said pharmacists were an integral part of the health delivery system and without them the goal of health for all could not be achieved. He added profession of pharmacy was considered as a life-saving profession worldwide.
He underlined the need to enhance the role of pharmacists while formulating the National Drug Policy. “The targets set by Millennium Develop Goals (MGs) and Health for All cannot be achieved without utilising and establishing the pharmacy services in the country in its true sense,” he observed. Presenting recommendations of the moot in the concluding session, PPA President Prof Saeed appreciated participations of all the scholars and their valuable contributions. He said experts suggested that pharmacist should be given a major role in policy making and PPA must be taken on board as being the sole representative body of the community.
He also asked for establishment of a pharma co-vigilance centre headed by a pharmacist, adding that the chief executive officer (CEO) should be a graduate in pharmacy. He said d that ownership of all pharmacies should be allotted to pharmacists as were being practised in other countries like Turkey, adding drug sale licences should only be issued to pharmacists. He also recommended that training of pharmacists should be started regularly whereas a programme should be announced by the government for the capacity building of professionals of this sector. Scholarships should be announced for pharmacists, adding all public hospitals should induct pharma-D internees and give special attention to their training besides providing them extra benefits/facilities.
“Industrial pharmacists should be paid at least Rs 25,000 monthly as starting pay. In public hospitals, the job assignments of pharmacists should be revised. Qualification-cum-experience should be the basic criteria for promotion,” he demanded. “Pharmaceutical industry and academia should be bound to join hands in new research in the field of patient compliance and enhance role of pharmacists in the use of medicine,” he further demanded. He also asked for development of pharmaceutical industry with indigenous research and more World Health Organisation (WHO) approved plants, adding improved patient care through delivery of pharmaceutical care in the hospitals was also imperative.
He suggested initiation of nationwide pharma-co-vigilance programme at all levels in hospitals and at community pharmacies. Enhancement of the role of pharmacists at community pharmacies was also sought as it remained an ignored area in the past, he said, adding extensive facilities should be provided to conduct research for bringing a major change in this sector. Academia should be recognised as a major stakeholder in all policy decisions, he proposed. There should be balance between public health and business concerns and effective partnerships should be developed in the region, he said, adding that Pakistan Pharmacists Association should take initiative to hold a SAARC pharmacists conference in Pakistan. In the end, shields were also distributed among the organising committee members.
Major pharmaceutical firms have also displayed their products and literature in the conference. More than 2,000 people from the field of pharmacy, government officials, health practitioners and media persons attended the conference.
