World Pharmacist Day 2021: The Crucial Role Of Pharmacist In Healthcare

Pharmacists play a vital role in maintaining global health. To celebrate their contribution, we observe World Pharmacist Day on September 25. It was first proposed by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). This year, the theme is “Pharmacy: Always trusted for your health”. FIP chose “trust” as the theme as it is the central part of all human relationships and “trust” is also essential to health care. Patients usually report greater satisfaction with treatment and feel better when they have higher faith in their healthcare professionals.

The objective behind dedicating an annual day to them is to encourage and promote their role in improving health in every corner of the world. So on World Pharmacist Day, let's understand how these health professionals help us.

1. Pharmacists advise the right way to use and store the medicine. They also inform us about any potential adverse effects of the medicine.

2. They contribute to the research of new drugs and work in pharmacies, medical clinics, hospitals, universities and government institutions.

3.Under medication management, a pharmacist's role comprises taking back unused or expired medication and disposing of them according to environmentally responsible practices.

4.They also follow up on treatment. During the course of treatment, the pharmacist makes sure that you're taking the correct dose of medication for your condition and that the treatment is working. For this, they ask questions and may also want to run a few tests. For instance, they can take the blood pressure to see if the medication to control it, is working or not.

5.Given their accessibility and skills, they are frontline healthcare workers, always available to answer all pharmacology-related questions. They advise on how to make healthy lifestyle changes and direct patients towards prevention measures for health improvement.

Chikkahanume Gowda, Head Pharmacy and Central Store at Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bangalore says, “We work collaboratively alongside the medical experts in helping patients with the instructions on how to seek benefits from the drugs prescribed. During the pandemic, we as pharmacists have had the opportunity to educate people to curb the virus by maintaining social distancing, following the instructions on the usage of drugs, symptoms one can watch out for COVID-19 and more. The pandemic has been tough on the overall healthcare sector. We faced a shortage of drugs but tried our best to bridge the gap to cater care during these testing times. As we fight through this pandemic, we will continue to do our bit by ensuring every patient gets the right medicine and dose as prescribed, is educated about the consumption, and implement all the safety measures to come out stronger from the pandemic."

Happy pharmacist day to all the healthcare professionals!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.