HEALTH programs that encourage patients to visit pharmacies as their first port of call for minor conditions have been shown to reduce the burden on doctors and allow better use of available resources, according to a major International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) presentation to the World Health Organization's Executive Board.
Addressing the Board at its 144th session held in Geneva this week, FIP's Zuzana Kusynova noted the many contributions that pharmacists make to primary health care.
The FIP statement highlighted the supply of quality medicines, health promotion, disease prevention, screening, improving medicines adherence, administering medicines and vaccinations and monitoring chronic conditions.
Kusynova also referred to a report by the WHO Director-General which showed investments in universal health coverage, "including a substantial portion towards developing the workforce," will generate up to a 40% return on investment over a five-year period.
"The roles of pharmacists range from communicators and quality medicine suppliers to supervisors, collaborators and health promoter - and these roles are continually expanding," she said.
"Pharmacists are recognised as a trustworthy source of information and advice...moreover, in many places the community pharmacy is the only primary healthcare unit, and the only place where advice can be obtained from a health care professional.
"With the changing needs of health systems and the public, the pharmacy profession needs to continue to evolve with the support of technology, education and, importantly, your support in legislation," she concluded.
Other FIP session elements covered medicines access and global action on patient safety - fip.org.
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