Pharmacists:Caring 4U! World Pharmacists Day ’16 at KMC
Pharmacists: Caring for you” is the theme of this year’s World Pharmacists Day(WPD), which was celebrated a day earlier at Kasturba Medical Hospital-Attavar here. World Pharmacy day is celebrated every year on 25 September worldwide.
Mangaluru: Department of Hospital Pharmacy-Kasturba Medical College Hospitals-Mangaluru in association with Manipal University and Manipal Hospitals organized a CPE (Continuous Pharmacy Education) programme to mark “World Pharmacists Day” on Saturday, 24 September at Sushrutha Hall, KMC Hospital-Attavar. The programme beginning with an invocation through a prayer song, was followed by welcome address by Dr Anand Venugopal- Medical Superintendent, KMC Hospitals-Mangaluru where he said, “This year’s theme ‘Pharmacists- Caring for You’ to mark World Pharmacists Day was chosen to reflect the important role of pharmacists in providing care to the public, and also to highlight the emotional connection they have with their patients. The role of pharmacists has evolved from that of a provider of medicines to that of a provider of care. Pharmacists have a vital role in the outcome of pharmacological therapies and ultimately strive to improve patients’ quality of life,” .
The programme was inaugurated by lighting the traditional lamp by Chief Guest Shankar Naik- Assistant Drug Controller-Mangaluru circle, along with other dignitaries on the dais namely- guest of honor, Dhananjay Hatapaki- Drug Inspector-2, Mangaluru circle; Dr Anand R- Associate Dean, KMC Hospital-Mangaluru; Dr Girish Tunga- Asst. Senior Scale Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, Mcops-Manipal, and the resource person of the day; Dr Anand Venugopal; and Prasanna Kumar K- Chief Pharmacist, KMC Hospital-Attavar. Dhananjay Hatapaki briefing about WPD said, “World Pharmacists Day, now in its sixth year, is used by FIP’s (International Pharmaceutical Federation) members around the globe to highlight the impact and added value of the pharmacy profession and its role in improving health to authorities, other professions and the media, as well as to the general public.The aim of the day is to bring attention to pharmacies and the positive benefits they offer when it comes to health and FIP encourages all its members to get involved to make the event a success.
Dr Anand speaking during the occasion said, “Each year the organization announces a different theme so that associations and individuals in the pharmaceutical industry can put together national campaigns or local projects to showcase the good work they do in helping to improve the health of people around the world. This includes giving lectures, holding exhibitions, or organizing an activity day for adults and kids to demonstrate the many ways that a pharmacy can help them. And KMC has done a great job by organizing this WPD and also a talk on ‘ Role of Clinical Pharmacists in Management of Medication”.
Addressing the gathering chief guest, Naik said, ” You should all know that pharmacists work hard day and night, but their work is not recognized by the society, whereas work done by doctors, doctors and other in medical field always get complimented and recognized in the society. It’s time that pharmacists also establish themselves in the community, since they play an important role in the community by serving the desired medicines to the patients in need. While doing so, they also need to be very responsible, alert, and careful while delivering the medicines. Any blunder created in giving the wrong medicine will land them into big trouble, and also put the patient in dire consequences, could be death too”.
He further said, ” Just like other medical professionals, pharmacists too have done their B. Pharma or D. Pharma, and they should also be recognized in the society like other medical fraternity. Pharmacists have the expertise to provide patient care services that are cost-effective and of high quality. They are the most accessible health professionals, and the public places great trust in them, as shown by many surveys ranking pharmacists among the most trusted professions. I encourage all pharmacists to make use of World Pharmacists Day; a wonderful opportunity to promote your profession. I am happy that KMC hospitals have taken the initiative in organizing WPD, thereby recognizing the efforts put in by the pharmacists day and night serving the patients, and the general public”.
Resource person of the day, Dr Girish Tunga speaking on the topic ‘Role of Clinical Pharmacists in Management of Medication said, ” Pharmacists utilize their clinical expertise in monitoring and managing medication plans to positively impact health outcomes and empower patients to actively manage their health. In addition, pharmacists can serve as a resource to other healthcare providers and payers to assure safe, appropriate, cost-effective medication use. Pharmacists will be the healthcare professionals responsible for providing patient care that ensures optimal medication therapy outcomes. Pharmacists are the highly accessible and well-trained, yet often underutilized, key health care professionals to move us closer toward achieving better medication therapy outcomes for patients”.
“In addition, pharmacists can serve as a resource to other healthcare providers and payers to assure safe, appropriate, cost-effective medication use. There are several examples of pharmacists working in various settings—ambulatory care clinics, community health centers, and some community/food store pharmacies—to improve medication therapy outcomes of patients with various diseases” added Dr Tunga. He proceeded with his talk through the audio-video presentation. Prior to Dr Tunga’s talk, KMC Hospitals web-magazine “WebIntra” was launched by Dr Anand- the person behind designing the web-magazine was Supreetha, an IT professional at KMC. Prasanna Kumar K delivered the vote of thanks, while the programme was compered by Divya, a Pharmacist at KMC hospital.
I end this report with a witty rhyme quoted by chief guest Shankar Naik while concluding his speech- ”
Johnny Johnny..Yes Pappa
Pharmacy Business..Yes Pappa
Lots of Tension…Yes Pappa
Too Much Work…Yes Pappa
Family Life…No Pappa
BP Sugar……High Pappa
Yearly Bonus….No Pappa
Monthly Income….Low Pappa
Personal Life …..Lost Pappa
Weekly Off…..Ha..Ha…Ha.
Team Mangalorean wishes all the Pharmacists a Happy “World Pharmacists Day”. Long Live the Pharmacists!
