Grace Quach MPS[/caption]
Inequitable healthcare access, medicines shortages, antimicrobial resistance, and substandard and falsified medicines – all are challenges to be addressed by the pharmacy profession.
At today’s opening in Cape Town, South Africa of the 82nd annual congress of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), President Paul Sinclair MPS, the first Australian to be elected to the position, also highlighted the need for innovation in pharmacy to address public health challenges and disparities.
He cited pharmacy-based vaccination, which has expanded exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic, as an example of an innovative approach that has had high impact.
‘Innovation is not just beneficial — it’s essential. Innovating pharmacy enhances patient care, improves therapeutic outcomes, addresses the dynamic challenges of health care, and propels the profession forward.’
The application of three principles — integrity, performance and passion — would help facilitate the advancement of the profession, Mr Sinclair told delegates from around the world.
FIP’s passion for pharmacy had led it to create its “Think Health, Think Pharmacy” campaign to advance the profession. Mr Sinclair urged pharmacists from around the world to support it.
‘Through this campaign, we’re raising awareness of the importance of pharmacies, and of pharmacists themselves, as an underutilised resource in the primary healthcare space, with the potential to deliver more for healthcare systems. We want everyone to think about pharmacy when they think about their health.
‘We want policymakers to think about universal pharmacy coverage when they think about universal health coverage. Promoting our professional identity will facilitate more pharmacy services with benefits for our communities,’ he said.
Australians in FIP awards
Australians Dr Shania Liu and Dr Sarah Dineen-Griffin were honoured at the presentation of the 2024 FIP Global Awards in Cape Town.
Shania Liu received the Early Career in Pharmaceutical Practice Recognition Award. Presented every 3 years, the award recognises outstanding early career pharmacists who have made important contributions to their field of practice at a national level, and who are emerging internationally.
Dr Liu is the immediate past Chair of the Pain Management Leadership Committee of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia. Her research involved the improvement of the safe use of opioids before and after surgery.
Currently, she is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Canada.
Sarah Dineen-Griffin was one of 10 new Fellows of FIP appointed at the Congress. FIP Fellowship recognises individual FIP members who have exhibited strong leadership internationally, distinguished themselves in pharmacy practice or the pharmaceutical sciences and who have contributed to the advancement of the practice of pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences.
Dr Dineen-Griffin is a full-time teaching and research academic in the School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle. Currently she is Chief Investigator and Project Lead for the NSW/ACT Government Scope of Practice Pharmacy Trials. She is also the Vice President of the FIP Community Pharmacy Section.
