President's Desk

NEW YEAR WISHES FROM APF PRESIDENT

Dear Colleagues,

The African Pharmaceutical Forum (APF) being one of the six Regional Forums of FIP focuses on pharmacy practice in the African region. A change in leadership of APF happened on the successful election of Dr. Prosper Hiag as one of the Vice Presidents of FIP in the FIP World Congress in Seville last year. I am happy to step up in this interim capacity to steer the Forum in the right direction till we get to Brisbane where substantive elections will take place. I look forward to seeing you there.

We have done very well as a profession and taken part in promoting global health standards, as demonstrated in the response to the fight against COVID-19.

The African Pharmaceutical Forum (APF) being one of the six Regional Forums of FIP focuses on pharmacy practice in the African region. A change in leadership of APF happened on the successful election of Dr. Prosper Hiag as one of the Vice Presidents of FIP in the FIP World Congress in Seville last year. I am happy to step up in this interim capacity to steer the Forum in the right direction till we get to Brisbane where substantive elections will take place. I look forward to seeing you there.

I draw your attention to FIP Development Goal 8 which is on Working with others. The goal is about collaboration with other stakeholders. Permit me to add that in working together, there now lies the urgent need for us as pharmacists to work with ourselves, across the many specialities and practice areas that pharmacists can and do function. It is important also for us to embrace the ONE FIP concept. There are other development goals which include innovation, technology and data analytics, supply chain management, pharmacy education, and many more.

Pharmacists should come together and be active members of pharmaceutical societies in their home countries. There is strength in numbers. When everyone belongs to a professional association, the profession wins in addressing the challenges to professional growth. The professionals would then be able to lobby for changes when required to do so, especially where regulatory and legal issues arise. COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for pharmacists to be approved as vaccinators and as primary healthcare providers across much of Africa, and the rights to provide such services were allowed through the hard work of our different professional associations. Legislative and regulatory changes had to take place, and many pharmacists are now able to exercise their rights to a fuller scope of practice while others are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

By working together through professional associations a lot can be achieved. We call upon all pharmacists to belong to the family of pharmacists by being members of their local pharmaceutical association, the regional association (APF) as well as the international association (FIP) which binds us all together. APF membership is open to all national pharmaceutical associations in the African WHO region from which members can then participate, whereas FIP membership is open to all national pharmaceutical associations and individual membership. Your participation is important at all levels.

Pharmacists are well positioned to ensure strengthening of health systems. The FIP sustainable development goals give us direction in this regard. Every nation can priorities the development goals which address their peculiar situation and healthcare needs. Every pharmacist has a role to play, irrespective of where we reside or area of practice. Let us leave a legacy for generations to come. Pharmacists should be found at the table whenever medicines are being discussed. Finally, we are invited to celebrate our profession in style every year on the 25th of September, the “World Pharmacists Day (WPD)”. The theme for 2023 celebrations is “Pharmacy strengthening health systems” Resources and promotional materials are available on the FIP website, www.fip.org as required to enable you celebrate the day as you deem fit. Do share reports of your WPD activities and other activities of your national association with the Forum to enable us to compile an accurate archive of activities around the continent.

Your reports can be sent via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

MLong live the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)

Long live the African Pharmaceutical Forum (APF),

Long live African pharmacy,

Interim President

Pharm. Jocelyn Chaibva