Siboniso Bophela
14 Apr 2022
A key pillar of our healthcare system
Various Roles
Pharmacists play many roles in the health care system, such as academic pharmacists, industrial pharmacists, community pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, hospital pharmacists, and veterinary pharmacists.
Pharmacists are responsible for ensuring that the “Right drug to the right patient at right time in right dose through right route in the right way.”
Multiple sectors
Pharmacists operate in different sectors of the pharmacy profession, including industrial, academic, community health, clinical research, drug discovery, development of NDDS [a Novel Drug Delivery System], etc…
Whether directly or indirectly, all pharmacists working in different fields of the profession are involved in the nation's health.
Drug information
Pharmacists are highly qualified and skilled to provide detailed information on medicines to health professionals and the public.
Pharmacists possess broad knowledge of pharmaceutical sciences, which enables them to offer quality assurance (including good manufacturing practices) through the validation of various stages of production and the testing of products before release.
Community healers
Community pharmacists assist the public, assess their condition, and make recommendations about what medicines they should take.
They provide medicines to patients as well as advice and practical help on staying healthy. The role of a community pharmacist is a very responsible one, their expertise in a community cannot be underestimated.
Deficit risks
Pharmacists play an important role in healthcare in every city, town, and village in our country.
There must be enough pharmacists in the country to provide for all citizens across South Africa. The current national deficit means people wait long hours to receive medication, and could lack the correct drug information - being exposed to the wrong medication, the wrong dosage or expired medication.
Dialogue