by Roma Ramphal – HST
Pharmacist/Differentiated Care Manager
Pharmacy Month serves as a powerful reminder of the indispensable role that pharmacists play in supporting essential healthcare initiatives. Pharmacists stand as integral members of multidisciplinary teams working tirelessly towards the achievement of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for HIV epidemic control, by enhancing medicine supply management, promoting rational medicine use, ensuring compliance at medicine pick-up points, and providing comprehensive training.
The Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) programme has emerged as a cornerstone in providing accessible, uninterrupted medicine supply to people living with chronic illnesses. Pharmacists are central to its success. They are the professionals who ensure that chronic medication reaches patients efficiently and consistently, transcending geographical barriers.
Efficient medicine supply management is vital to safeguarding public health. Pharmacists are the key players in ensuring that healthcare facilities are well-stocked with essential medications. Their expertise in inventory control, procurement, and quality assurance guarantees that patients receive high-quality pharmaceutical care.
In addition to their pivotal roles in healthcare initiatives, pharmacists are breaking new ground with their involvement in the Pharmacist-initiated Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (PIMART) programme. This programme empowers pharmacists to administer antiretroviral therapy (ART), further showcasing their versatility and commitment to patient care.
Through PIMART, pharmacists support improved access to life-saving HIV treatment to enhance patients' health outcomes, thereby entrenching pharmacists' status as valuable members of the healthcare team. This expansion of pharmacists' responsibilities aligns seamlessly with the spirit of Pharmacy Month, emphasising their unwavering dedication to promoting health care for all.
During Pharmacy Month, we honour the dedication and expertise of all pharmacists to patient care and public health, offering a beacon of hope for the realisation of healthier communities.