Month: May 2015

Defining and Measuring Pharmaceutical Systems Strengthening: Takeaways from the SIAPS Partners Meeting

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The achievement of health goals laid out in major USAID initiatives, such as Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD) and creating an AIDS-free Generation (AFG), is largely dependent on health-systems-strengthening (HSS) investments that create long-lasting improvements in health systems performance. Robust measures are essential for gauging the impact of investments in strengthening a health … Read more

Using a Health-Systems-Strengthening Approach to Contain AMR: A South African Experience

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“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to the long-term security of public health and has the potential to negatively impact our society. It is a serious and growing global health security risk, which needs to be prioritised at local and international levels.”- Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, South African Minister of Health In May 2014, the … Read more

Antimicrobial Stewardship: Strategies for Preserving Essential Medical Resources

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This week, the World Health Assembly will meet to discuss – and likely pass—a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. The action plan lays out five strategic objectives to promote better understanding of the threat of antimicrobial resistance, and to ensure the proper use and conservation of existing antimicrobials. Antimicrobial stewardship, which comprises interventions designed … Read more

Bangkok Commitments on TB Pharmaceutical Management, 2015

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After a lively welcome reception, 77 participants representing National TB Programs from 15 countries, as well as partners and donors, spent a week learning from each other’s experiences during the 2015 Global TB Conference. The conference, titled “Building the Post-2015 Agenda: Novel Approaches to Improving Access to TB Medicines and Pharmaceutical Services”, was co-hosted by the … Read more

Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance with Pre-Service Training

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The irrational use of medicines, a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is often perpetuated by those who should be best able to stop it—health care professionals such as doctors and pharmacists. This, of course, raises an important question: why do health care professionals continue to practice potentially harmful behaviors? In many cases, the answer … Read more

Rising to the Challenge: Developing the Pharmaceutical Leadership Development Program (PLDP) in South Africa

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Strong leadership and management have been recognised as important factors in the efficient use of resources, the delivery of quality health services, and the achievement of positive health outcomes. Against this backdrop, the Committee of Heads of Pharmaceutical Services in South Africa identified the need to develop and strengthen leadership and management skills among pharmacists, … Read more

Taking a Stand against Antimicrobial Resistance: Strengthening Systems to Promote the Rational Use of Medicines

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A year ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first global report on antimicrobial resistance, revealing a number of troubling trends: rising rates of resistance to first-line antibiotics for common infections such as urinary tract infections, gonorrhoea, and staph infections; a growing inability to treat deadly diseases like tuberculosis (TB) with second-line and even … Read more

Incorporating RxSolution into Pre-service Instruction on Medicines Supply Management in South Africa

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By Bright Phiri, SIAPS Communications Officer; Katelyn Payne, SIAPS Project Associate; and Susan Putter, SIAPS Principal Technical Advisor A serious deficit of pharmacy support personnel in South Africa has highlighted the need to create new career opportunities in the field of pharmaceutical services provision. According to the South African Pharmacy Council, there are approximately 14,213 … Read more