PHARMACISTS have denied that they are profiteering on COVID-19 medication after accusations that they were making a killing from the sale of drugs meant to help alienate the effects of the global pandemic.
Speaking during a virtual conference on Saturday convened
by the Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe (PSZ) Jocelyn Chaibva the chairperson
of the Retail Pharmacists Association (RPA) said the reality of COVID-19 had
forced them to have a re-look at their operations.
The conference which ran under a theme “Adapt or die” drew
participants from across Africa, and its aim was to share ideas on how to
respond to the pandemic which has grossly affected the pharmaceutical industry.
Local pharmacists have been contributing 70% of the drug
needs of the population in relation to the pandemic.
Community pharmacists that have been on the frontline of
the COVID-19 fight were adversely affected by the pandemic.
“We are not profiteering. This is a business and we should
not apologise for providing a service, “said Chaibva who is also the
vice-president of the African Pharmaceutical Forum. She challenged pharmacists
to expand their services beyond the usual way of doing business.
President of the PSZ Portifa Mwendera said the lockdown
measures severely affected them because patient and customer movements had been
restricted. He said they had to devise means of coping with the changes brought
about by COVID-19.
“We had to make a sudden change. Our lives have not been
the same but we have a population that depends on us, “he said.
During last month’s World Pharmaceutical Day celebrations,
pharmacists said the pandemic had changed their way of doing business and had
thrust community pharmacists on the fore of the global fight.
As part of their advocacy efforts, the pharmacists have
been engaging policy makers to come up with legislation that creates a better
framework for operations during the crisis.
“As RPA we are liaising with legislators regarding the
quality of face masks and sanitisers. The World Health Organisation provides a
guideline on the standards of sanitisation. It is not about the political party
they support but coming up with the right policies. Diseases do not recognise
politics,” Chaibva said.
Israel Bimpe from Rwanda said in his country had adopted
the use of technology in their operations.
A tech company Zipline has engineered drones that travel
hundreds of kilometres to deliver vital medical supplies to rural health
centres in Rwanda.
Pharmacists also called for measures to protect them from
COVID-19 risks which are the same as those put in place for other health
professionals such as nurses and doctors. Newsday
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