Why Do We Celebrate World Pharmacists Day?
Pharmacists Day, celebrated every September 25th, is an opportunity to recognize and honor the exemplary role of pharmacists in healthcare systems worldwide.
September 25 commemorates the foundation of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Founded in 1912, FIP represents pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists across the globe, advocating for better healthcare policies and practices.
Since its inception in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2009, the FIP Bureau has annually chosen a theme that aligns with the priorities in pharmacy and healthcare. The theme for 2024, Pharmacists: Meeting Global Health Needs, highlights the pharmacist’s evolving role in patient care and how they contribute to addressing global health challenges.
The Role of Pharmacists Today
While pharmacists traditionally focused on dispensing medications, the profession has since shifted from a product-centered focus to a patient-centered approach, emphasizing personalized care and better health outcomes.
Celebrations like World Pharmacists Day help bring light to how the practice directly contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), specifically the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
Achieving this goal is made possible with the help of various supportive capacities pharmacists often take on, including the following:
- Accessible holistic care
- Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare providers worldwide, and often the first point of contact for people seeking care.
- They take on the responsibility to ensure access to essential medicines, medical devices, diagnostic kits (e.g. glucometer, antigen tests, etc.), and assistive products, guaranteeing that patients have what they need for effective treatment.
- Pharmacists also provide patient education on medicine use and health management, as well as lead efforts in pharmacovigilance, such as ensuring the safety and efficacy of antibiotics and other medicines.
- By working closely with other medical professionals, pharmacists may also share their expertise in medication management. This helps create comprehensive treatment plans that address various aspects of patient health needs.
- In essence, pharmacists have a direct hand in ensuring health and well-being: from health promotion to prevention, and treatment to palliative care.
- Pharmacists on the frontline
- Pharmacists act as frontline responders and providers of critical support. This is not only in the case of the recent pandemic, but in preventing the spread of communicable diseases including malaria, AIDS, and tuberculosis.
- They may help in vaccination programs (e.g.COVID-19, shingles, flu)6 and conduct health screenings to promote disease prevention. To this end, the Philippine Pharmacists Association Inc. (PPhA) offers an Immunizing Pharmacists Certification Program that aims to “provide Filipino pharmacists with the skills necessary to become primary sources for vaccine advocacy, education and administration.”
- Pharmacists are key in raising awareness of public health campaigns and encouraging healthy practices, bringing these to the public eye outside of the hospital or clinical setting.
- Because of their central role in healthcare, pharmacists may also advocate for policy changes that promote better health outcomes and implement sustainable practices to address the impacts of environmental factors on health.
World Pharmacists Day in the Philippines
In the Philippines, World Pharmacists Day is celebrated with various events. Previous years have seen seminars, workshops, and community outreach programs aimed at raising awareness about the role of pharmacists.
This year, activities were planned to further engage with the community and showcase the innovative practices pharmacists bring to the profession. For instance, The Philippine Society of Hospital Pharmacists, in partnership with Unilab, held a symposium at Bayanihan Center, Pioneer, Mandaluyong City.
To help solidify the message of this year’s theme, Unilab also provided a continuing professional development webinar entitled “World Pharmacists Day 2024: Pharmacists Meeting Global Health Needs” where more than 8,000 pharmacy professionals attended.
Pharmacists may check with their professional associations, workplaces, or local communities for events and activities that help uplift and advance the profession. Engaging with these organizations can provide valuable opportunities to participate in or organize events that highlight the crucial contributions of pharmacists.
Pharmacists are indispensable to global health. From ensuring access to medicines to advocating for healthy practices, their contributions are vast and vital.
As part of this yearly celebration for pharmacy and all the professionals in this indispensable field, we at Unilab would like to extend our appreciation for pharmacists’ achievements, global impact, and dedication to improving lives. At Unilab, we share their commitment to building a healthier Philippines, one quality health solution at a time. Together with pharmacists and all other healthcare professionals, we continue to shape the future of healthcare to meet the ever-evolving needs of society.
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov and UNILAB Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
References
1. World Pharmacist Day, https://ppapak.org.pk/world-pharmacists-day/
2. The Sustainable Development Goals and pharmacy practice: a blueprint for health, https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/publichealthforpharmacy/chapter/the-sustainable-development-goals-and-pharmacy-practice-a-blueprint-for-health/
3. Pharmacists as accessible health care providers: quantifying the opportunity, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8890748/
4. Recognizing and engaging pharmacists in global public health in limited resource settings, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6551547/
5. World Pharmacists Day, 25 September 2024 – “Pharmacists: Meeting global health needs”, https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/events/item/2024/09/25/default-calendar/world-pharmacists-day--25-september-2024----pharmacists--meeting-global-health-needs
6. Home self-testing kits: helpful or harmful?, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6058634/
7. Pharmacy meeting global health needs, https://www.fip.org/files/content/getinvolved/wpd2024/FIP001-87-WPD-Factsheet_03.pdf
8. PphA Immunizing Pharmacist Certification Program, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1faeBixEiqMzU6R8XdMnEdu6qEbTMsp9q/view?fbclid=IwY2xjawFXDTJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfDts4IE4g9V-9CiBy_Vd8fD05Apd4aF9yiJg1peL2DB1ncOBFqXKwrLAA_aem_ZBiT2r7_TqY8JBItW2pN1A
