PSWE-02 - Pharmacists’ education as a game changer in saving lives with vaccination

Ballroom West
Organised by The FIP Academic Pharmacy Section in collaboration with the FIP Community Pharmacy Section

Chair(s)

Dr Arijana Meštrović, ExCo Member FIP Academic Pharmacy Section, Croatia and Mrs Manjiri Gharat Vice President FIP Bureau, India

Introduction

A training to equip pharmacists in India to become vaccinators was launched by the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) in collaboration with FIP’s Academic Pharmacy Section and Community Pharmacy Section in November 2023. This was approved by the FIP Board of Pharmaceutical Practice as a project which aims to transform patient choice and access in population health by empowering pharmacists in India to vaccinate their communities. Significant variability in pharmacy degrees and training in India led the project advisory committee to adopt a “Train the trainer” model for first phase PharmD tutors and students from identified institutes across 6 states. Training involved online and face-to-face sessions. The Curriculum and Training Committee of the FIP-IPA Vaccination Project comprised vaccination trainers from Australia, advisory committee members and academicians and experts in India, who adapted the University of Sydney, Australia, vaccination training modules to the Indian setting, incorporating the National Immunisation Programme of India. This initiative has shown how to help member organisations implement the change in their own country. 

This session aims to showcase the structure, process, outcomes and impact of this collaboration and present how education in pharmacy can be a valuable tool for real changes in practice. Participants will learn the accelerators and barriers in this process to implement similar projects in their respective regions.  

Programme

 

11:00 – 11:05 Introduction by the chairs
Dr Arijana Meštrović, ExCo Member, FIP Academic Pharmacy Section and Mrs Manjiri Gharat Vice President FIP Bureau, India
11:05 – 11:20 Pharmacists Vaccinators – New role to save lives
Dr Michael Hogue, American Pharmacists Association, USA
11:20 – 11:35 Developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to achieve vaccinator status for pharmacists in India
Mrs Mansi Doshi, ExCo member FIP Academic Pharmacy Section, India, Dr Carl Schneider, ExCo member FIP Academic Pharmacy Section, Australia and Mr Raj Xripati Vaidya, ExCo member FIP Community Pharmacy Section, India
11:35  – 11:50 Pharmacy-based immunisation at both pre-service and in-service levels
Prof. Stanley Ndwigah, University of Nairobi, Kenya
11:50 – 12:10 Group discussion on implementing change through pharmacy education
12:10– 12:30 Panel discussion and conclusion

Learning objectives

  • To understand the accelerators and barriers in implementing educational programmes to develop new roles for pharmacists.
  • To explain how a “Train the trainer” programme for pharmacy vaccinators can be implemented in local communities using best practices from FIP and experience from India.
  • To explore current experiences of pharmacists who have participated in educating vaccinators.

Take home messages

  • • Recognise the impact of collaboration between FIP constituencies (ONE FIP approach) on pharmaceutical education, development of new services and population health in the regional context.
    • Embrace and integrate education strategies to build local capacities and workforce competency development, especially for emerging new roles for pharmacists.
    • Emphasise the influence of member organisations on population health and membership benefits.