The pharmacy profession has good evidence to share, reflect on and use to transform pharmacy globally, so that the profession is fully equipped to contribute to present and future challenges facing health systems.
These are the views of the President of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Dominique Jordan, presented at the opening of FIP’s 80th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Seville, Spain.
The address was delivered by FIP Vice President Professor Ashok Soni on behalf of Mr Jordan.
COVID-19 had proved that “pharmacists and pharmacies are integral to a well-functioning healthcare system” and that the profession has advanced at an “unprecedented rate”, expanding its scope of activities to provide more services.
For example, according to FIP data as of August 2022, pharmacy-based vaccination was now available in at least 40 countries and territories — 20 more than in 2016.
On primary health care, Professor Soni said FIP planned to host a health ministers summit in 2023 at which evidence of impact and change in the three key areas of work across all six World Health Organization regions would be demonstrated.
He said the organisation’s work was fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 3 (good health and well-being for all) and that the pharmacy profession could be proud to have contributed to all 13 of the SDG 3 targets in many ways.
However, it was clear that the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted health services as well as bringing additional burden, including an increase in mental healthcare needs.
“Add wars and food insecurities to this landscape, and it can be no surprise that decades of improvements in health outcomes are now under threat of reversal,” he said.
He noted that according to the United Nations, global life expectancy fell back to 71 years in 2021, largely due to the impact of COVID-19.
“If universal health coverage is to become a reality, growth in the provision and use of essential health services through pharmacy must accelerate further. Pharmacy — through its many sectors and areas of expertise — is vital to universal health coverage,” he said.
