World Pharmacists Day 2024 was a global celebration of the important role community pharmacists play in primary health care across Australia. This year’s theme, "Pharmacists: Meeting Global Health Needs," was a fitting reflection of how pharmacists are stepping up to provide more services and improve health care access in response to the growing demands on the health care system.
On Wednesday, 25 September, Australians showed their appreciation for community pharmacists in many ways. A key part of the day’s celebrations was a video featuring messages from leading Australian politicians. The video has already reached over 17,000 views, with these messages highlighting the essential role pharmacists play in supporting communities across the country.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among those who expressed their gratitude.
"World Pharmacists Day is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the vital contribution that Australia's community pharmacists make to our communities and our lives."
Social media was another important platform for the celebrations. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia alone reached over 34,000 people through its posts — and that’s not even counting the millions reached through the posts and stories from countless other individuals and organisations!
World Pharmacists Day celebrations across Australia!
In addition to online engagement, World Pharmacists Day made a significant impact in the media, with over 1,900 articles, interviews, and features appearing nationwide. This coverage highlighted the many ways in which pharmacists provide essential services beyond dispensing medications and highlighted the additional services pharmacists have begun providing in their pharmacies.
Pharmacies across the country also participated in the celebrations by hosting in-store events, which included providing cakes and other treats to celebrate their staff. These gatherings allowed community members to connect with their local pharmacists while showing appreciation for the hard work and dedication of pharmacy teams.
The Guilds own NT Branch, together with AdPha and PSA, hosted a fun World Pharmacists Day event with networking and drinks, giving pharmacists an opportunity to connect and celebrate their profession.
The success of World Pharmacists Day 2024 is a testament to the increasing recognition of pharmacists' essential role in health care. The day served as a reminder of the important services pharmacists provide daily, from expert advice and primary health care support, to simply offering a friendly face in the community
