KUALA LUMPUR – Community pharmacists are urged to work with the government and learn from each other, as well as guide Malaysians into the endemic phase as the nation prepares to live with Covid-19.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said pharmacists play an important role in the fight against the coronavirus as they are the primary point of care and gatekeepers of the healthcare system.
“You are frontlining it... when doctors and hospitals, those on the front lines of healthcare are overburdened, the next in line must step in, and these are our community pharmacists.
“As healthcare professionals, pharmacists have a key role, not only during the pandemic, but for many years, engaging directly with the community, continuing to care for patients... we can work together in areas like preventive medicine and educating the public, not just on diseases, but also their wellness,” he said when officiating at a webinar titled “Reinvent Pharmacy Biz: Adapt Beyond the Crisis” by the Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild (MCPG) in conjunction with World Pharmacists’ Day today.
He said self-test kits are an important area involving pharmacists, as pharmacies are a “proper channel” through which the public can buy the product.
Khairy said pharmacists can educate the public on the correct way to store, use and dispose of these kits, and provide follow-ups and counselling once people get their test results.
“The ministry welcomes MCPG’s involvement in engaging with and improving our healthcare system, and we are committed to seeing your profession continuing to progress in this area.
“As this programme has so aptly put, we must now adapt and look beyond the Covid-19 crisis into all other aspects of healthcare. Certainly, there is much more we can do together.” – Bernama, September 25, 2021
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