Pharmacy practice and continuing professional development in low and middle income countries (LMICs)

AbstractMedicines are important health interventions and their appropriate use could improve health outcomes. Throughout the globe, pharmacists play a very important role to improve the use of medicines. Though high-income countries are debating on futuristic approaches, independent prescribing of pharmacists, clinical skills, and to expand pharmacy services; a large majority of low and middle-income countries still lag behind to strengthen pharmacy practice. This paper presents a key set of recommendations that can improve pharmacy practice in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ten recommendations include (1) Mandatory presence of graduate-level pharmacists at community pharmacies (2) Clear demarcation of the roles and responsibilities of different categories of pharmacists (3) Effective categorization and implementation of medicines into (a) prescription medicines (b) pharmacists only medicines (c) over the counter medicines (4) Enforcement of laws and regulations for the sale of medicines (5) Prohibiting doctors from dispensing medicines (the dispensing separation between pharmacists and doctors). (6) Involving pharmacies and pharmacists in Universal Health Coverage Schemes to improve the affordability of medicines (7) Strengthening national medicines regulatory authorities to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of medicines (8) Training of pharmacists in clinical skills, vaccination, and minor ailment schemes (9) Promoting independent medicines information for consumers and healthcare professionals by developing national medicines information strategy (10) Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs for the Pharmacists.

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Capacity-Building and Continuing Professional Development in Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries - A Scoping Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-518732/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dalton Deprez ◽

Angela J Busch ◽

Paola Andrea Ramirez ◽

Eliany Eliany Pedrozo Araque ◽

Julia Bidonde

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Capacity Building ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Continuing Professional Development ◽

World Health ◽

World Health Report ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: A recent world health report suggests that there is a growing rehabilitation human resource crisis. This review focuses on capacity-building needed to meet present and future rehabilitation challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Capacity building is the process by which individuals and organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment, and other resources needed to do their jobs competently. The objectives of this review are; 1) to determine how capacity-building has been defined, implemented, and evaluated in LMICs; and 2) to provide an overview of the effectiveness of capacity-building initiatives.Methods: In the first of seven stages, we will refine and delimit the research. Then, we will identify relevant studies by searching five biomedical databases, two rehabilitation databases, three regional databases, and three databases of grey literature. Two independent reviewers will then select the studies using a priori selection criteria. We will exclude incomplete records, records published prior to 2000 for databases and 2010 for grey literature, and records written in languages other than English or Spanish. We will also exclude records focusing on entry-to-practice programs in academic settings. For Objective 1, using qualitative analysis software we will extract and analyze text from included records which defines or explains capacity building. For Objective 2, using an online file sharing platform, one reviewer will extract data describing the effectiveness of capacity building interventions and a second reviewer will verify accuracy, with disagreements resolved by consensus. The results will be collated using tables and charts. After synthesizing the results, we will discuss the practicality and applicability of findings with partners from Honduras and Colombia. We will use several formats and venues including presentations and publications in English and Spanish to present our results.Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first attempt to systematically identify knowledge of capacity-building and rehabilitation in LMICs. This scoping review results will offer unique insights concerning the breadth and depth of literature in the area. It is anticipated that results from this scoping review will guide efforts in future capacity-building efforts in rehabilitation in LMICsReview Registration: Busch AJ, Deprez D, Bidonde J, Ramírez PA, Araque EP. Capacity building and continuing professional development in healthcare and rehabilitation in low and middle income countries - A scoping review. 2021. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/7VGXU.

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National Pharmacy Associations in the Commonwealth -current scenario and future needs to maximise effective contributions of the pharmacy profession towards Universal health coverage

10.21203/rs.3.rs-678366/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ayesha Iqbal ◽

Victoria Rutter ◽

Gizem Gülpınar ◽

Manjula Halai ◽

Briella Awele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Middle Income ◽

Priority Areas ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Pharmacy Profession ◽

Universal Health ◽

Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is a charity representing pharmacists across the Commonwealth, with the vision of empowering and collaboratively develop the profession and fully utilise the potential of pharmacists to strengthen health systems through supporting better access to, quality and use of medicines and related services. Commonwealth comprises predominantly of low and middle-income countries where limited data often exists in pharmacy practice. There is a recognised need across the Commonwealth to focus on developing, implementing and fully utilising pharmacy professional services to progress universal health coverage and achieve the sustainable development goals, particularly in low and middle-income countries; however, currently a knowledge gap exists in understanding the national priorities in Commonwealth nations. CPA is ideally positioned to access to these nations. The aim of this study was thus to explore the priorities and focus areas of NPAs across the Commonwealth and create evidence for a needs-based approach to inform the support that the Commonwealth pharmacists association can collaboratively and strategically provide to its members to progress towards shared goals.Methods: Data was collected virtually on Zoom by conducting interviews using a semi-structured interview guide developed for this study with CPA councillors representing NPAs or their equivalents if no official body existed. An inductive, reflexive, thematic analysis was performed for data analysis. Results: In total, 30 councillors were interviewed from 30 low- and medium-income countries. The three main overarching priority areas identified across respective Commonwealth nations developing extended pharmacy services, improving pharmacy education, and developing and redefining the role of NPAs.Conclusions: This novel study highlights the collective priorities for the pharmacy profession across the low and middle-income countries of the Commonwealth and the urgent need for supporting NPAs around the three identified overarching priority areas. The mapped-out priorities will inform an evidence-based approach for the CPA to better support NPAs in their mission through advocacy and practitioner development, to fully harness pharmacists’ unique skill set and maximise their contribution to progressing universal health coverage.

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Barriers to effective pharmacy practice in low- and middle-income countries

Integrated Pharmacy Research and Practice ◽

10.2147/iprp.s35379 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 25 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zaheer Babar ◽

Shane Scahill

Keyword(s):

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Ten Recommendations to Improve Pharmacy Practice in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3755498 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zaheer Babar

Keyword(s):

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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National pharmacy associations in the commonwealth: current scenario and future needs to maximise effective contributions of the pharmacy profession towards universal health coverage

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice ◽

10.1186/s40545-021-00396-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ayesha Iqbal ◽

Victoria Rutter ◽

Gizem Gülpınar ◽

Manjula Halai ◽

Briella Awele ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Universal Health Coverage ◽

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Middle Income ◽

Priority Areas ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Pharmacy Profession ◽

Universal Health ◽

Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is a charity representing pharmacists across the Commonwealth, with the vision of empowering and collaboratively develop the profession and fully utilise the potential of pharmacists to strengthen health systems through supporting better access to, quality and use of medicines and related services. Commonwealth comprises predominantly of low- and middle-income countries, where limited data often exists in pharmacy practice. There is a recognised need across the Commonwealth to focus on developing, implementing and fully utilising pharmacy professional services to progress universal health coverage and achieve the sustainable development goals, particularly in low and middle-income countries; however, currently a knowledge gap exists in understanding the national priorities in Commonwealth nations. CPA is ideally positioned to access to these nations. The aim of this study was thus to explore the priorities and focus areas of NPAs across the Commonwealth and create evidence for a needs-based approach to inform the support that the Commonwealth pharmacists association can collaboratively and strategically provide to its members to progress towards shared goals. Methods Data were collected virtually on Zoom by conducting interviews using a semi-structured interview guide developed for this study with CPA councillors representing NPAs or their equivalents if no official body existed. An inductive, reflexive, thematic analysis was performed for data analysis. Results In total, 30 councillors were interviewed from 30 low- and medium-income countries. The three main overarching priority areas identified across respective Commonwealth nations developing extended pharmacy services, improving pharmacy education, and developing and redefining the role of NPAs. Conclusions This novel study highlights the collective priorities for the pharmacy profession across the low and middle-income countries of the Commonwealth and the urgent need for supporting NPAs around the three identified overarching priority areas. The mapped-out priorities will inform an evidence-based approach for the CPA to better support NPAs in their mission through advocacy and practitioner development, to fully harness pharmacists’ unique skill set and maximise their contribution to progressing universal health coverage.

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