International Pharmaceutical Federation consolidates Ebola resources for pharmacists online

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands — Pharmacists can make use of a suite of resources on Ebola virus specifically designed for those who work in the community sector as of Thursday. The resources have been compiled by an emergency task force set up by the International Pharmaceutical Federation in response to requests for guidance from its members.

 

“Pharmacies are often the first point of contact with the health system for patients and people with health concerns. Given the current outbreak of EVD in some West African countries and the possibility of it spreading to other parts of the world, it is important that the whole pharmacy workforce is well informed. Being prepared is key,” stated Luc Besançon, FIP CEO and general secretary. “A vast amount of information is readily available, but we wanted to select and present in one place the most reliable and most relevant elements for pharmacies in a primary care context.” 

 

FIP believes that pharmacists can provide a crucial public health service by preventing the spread of EVD. They can inform, advise and educate their communities; promote disease prevention and infection control; and screen those with symptoms and refer suspected cases, in a safe manner, to appropriate healthcare facilities and authorities. The resources provide the essentials that pharmacists need to perform these tasks, and the content can be freely used and adapted for national use. 

 

All these resources are now available on a dedicated webpage FIP.org/ebola and FIP will endeavour to make these materials available in different languages, the organization noted.

 

“Since the outbreak, community pharmacists have been faced with the challenge of accessing reliable information as well as the risk of infection," noted Mohamed Conteh-Barrat, regulatory officer at the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone. "A key lesson we have learned is the need to ensure that correct and consistent information is made available to pharmacists in a timely manner. The internet is a potential source of information but also of misinformation," he said. "Conflicting information can create doubt and confusion, which must be avoided in emergency situations like these. And to avoid delays as a result of missing pieces of essential information, it is paramount that all the information is readily accessible from one place.”