International Pharmacists Urge Governments to Expand Roles in Pandemic Preparedness and Response
On the United Nations’ International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, an international body representing over 1 million pharmacists worldwide has published a report on Pandemic Preparedness and Response. The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), which represents national pharmacy associations of Commonwealth of Nations member states, is calling on healthcare leaders and policymakers to urgently recognize the important role of pharmacists in emergency preparedness and response strategies.
The report, developed by the CPA, utilizes case studies from the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate the critical role of pharmacists in safeguarding national and international health security. It calls on governments to integrate pharmacists into national emergency frameworks and decision-making processes in order to minimize the risk of future pandemics and effectively respond to them.
Examining pharmacists’ contributions to COVID-19 response in seven countries across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, the report highlights how pharmacists are a largely untapped resource with the potential to strengthen health systems and prevent pandemic-related deaths. It also identifies four key barriers that prevent pharmacists from fully realizing their potential in pandemic preparedness:
– Exclusion from policymaking in emergency preparedness and response
– Lack of formal recognition of their roles in this field
– Insufficient training and professional development opportunities
– Structural deficiencies that hinder continuity of care during crises
The report emphasizes the need for stronger integration of pharmacists at all levels of pandemic preparedness and response, alongside policy reform and investment in pharmacy-specific training programs and advanced digital health infrastructure.
Grace Grange, Research Officer at the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and principal author of the report, stated, “Pharmacists were essential to the COVID-19 response, yet they are too often excluded from emergency planning. If we are serious about strengthening pandemic preparedness, pharmacists must be embedded in health emergency frameworks.”
Dr. Amy Chan, Senior Research Advisor at the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and co-author of the report, added, “Pharmacists are the first line of defense in pandemic preparedness. As the most accessible healthcare professionals, they bring trusted health and medicines expertise to foster real-world resilience. This report highlights the important roles that pharmacists can play and includes learnings from the pandemic to shape further growth of this role.”
Kwabena Asante Offei, Vice-President of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and contributor to the report, emphasized the importance of integrating pharmacists into emergency planning, stating, “Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals who are within reach of community members and work within systems with the agility needed to mobilize and respond to emergencies. Their integration into preparedness and response planning is essential if we are to reach more people, in more places, when emergencies occur.”
The participating countries in the case studies were Canada, Ghana, Malaysia, Malta, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zimbabwe. Representatives from the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, including Grace Grange, Dr. Amy Chan, and Kwabena Asante Offei, are available for further comment and interviews.
The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is an Accredited Organization of the Commonwealth and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Established in 1969, CPA serves as the international body of the National Pharmacy Associations of the Commonwealth, representing over 1 million pharmacists globally. It operates as a UK-registered charity (1176132) and aims to advance equitable access to safe and effective medicines and pharmacy services for a healthier world.
For more information about the CPA or to request a quote or comment, please contact Peter Gaffney at +44796390254 or press@commonwealthpharmacy.org.
