Pharmacists told to take pride of their profession

World Pharmacists Day was held on Saturday 25^th September 2021 and the day was celebrated by pharmacists at Leagues Pub in East Honiara.

This year’s theme is ‘Pharmacy always trusted for your health”, and the marking of the day started off with speeches, a cutting of a cake and a light refreshment afterwards.  

In marking the occasion, Director National Pharmacy Services, Timmy E Manea reiterated the important role played by pharmacists in the current rollout of the vaccination program.

“Pharmacists have played an important role in the pursuit to have 80- 90 percent of population to be vaccinated, and that itself speaks volumes of the importance of our profession,” Manea highlighted.

Manea urged pharmacists to take pride of their profession and continue to deliver quality services to the people.

Manea also emphasized the importance of reviving the pharmacists’ association, the association that will look after the affairs of pharmacists in the country.

He added that government will be willing to facilitate the formation of the association through budget support.

The main remarks to commemorate the World Pharmacists Day was delivered by one of the country’s first qualified pharmacists and most senior pharmacist, Wale Tobata.

Tobata stressed that in the public sector, pharmacist as a role delineation and development has not developed since 2008.

Tobata said this is a worrying trend as the population of the country in eight years’ time will reached the one million mark against a least developed pharmaceutical service.

Tobata who is also the supervising coordinator of pharmacy School at Solomon Islands National University (SINU) stressed that such gathering of pharmacists should be encouraged to allow pharmacists to focus and come up with strategic measures to address the challenges faced in pharmacy both as a service and a profession.  

The senior pharmacist revealed that a planned summit is scheduled for next year, it aims to get together various stakeholders to discuss ways to address the challenges of pharmacy as a service and a role.

Speaking on behalf of the private sector- pharmaceutical companies, Kathleen Matautia highlighted the importance of this year’s World Pharmacists Day theme “Pharmacy always trusted for your health”.

Mrs Matautia stressed that pharmacists must maintain the ‘trust’ of the people and continue to accord people with quality pharmaceutical services.

“This is important as pharmacists are the first point of contact for many people before health clinics and centres,” Mrs Matautia added.

Mrs Matautia also pointed out that gathering of pharmacists to celebrate the World Pharmacists Day should be an opportune time to inspire each other as the profession is losing people over the years as well.

Mrs Matautia encouraged fellow pharmacists to take pride of the profession and stay true to the calling.

The pharmaceutical entrepreneur further call on fellow pharmacists to advocate for more interests to pharmacy as a profession.  

“We have shortage of community pharmacists; one pharmacist cannot serve a lot of people at one time. We need to advocate and encourage our young generation to take up pharmacy as a career path,” she highlighted.

Mrs Matautia concluded by stressing that pharmacists are important in the overall health care system and that is exemplified by the marking of the World Pharmacists Day.

The evening’s program also remembered pharmacists who have passed on and a minute of silence was paid as a respect to them.