PDA representatives are attending the annual International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) congress in South Africa to launch the next phase of the ‘Medicines To…’ initiative in collaboration with FIP.
Following on from the successful Medicines to Ukraine campaign, which created a collaboration with the fundraising initiatives of pharmacy organisations across Europe to raise more than £4.5 million for medicines for Ukraine, PDA joined FIP in 2022, an organisation with more than 150 countries in membership. The PDA came with a proposition to FIP, which was that the ‘Medicines To’ campaign could be adapted for use in many continents, enabling pharmacy to support the victims of a humanitarian crisis wherever it occurred. If this were to happen however, it would mean that national pharmacy leadership organisations from many countries of the world would have to sign up to the programme in advance so that they could promote the campaign to their members in their countries and persuade them to display posters in their pharmacy windows as soon as a crisis occurred.
FIP agreed to support the programme at last year’s congress and immediately thereafter, the first country to officially sign up was South Africa. Additionally, FIP has created a new initiative called Humanity Rx, of which the PDA’s ‘Medicines To’ campaign is a composite part.
Since the launch last year, much progress has been made and at a signing event, 12 countries agreed to participate. An official signing ceremony was introduced by the FIP President at the conference in front of a large audience of international pharmacy leaders and other delegates from across the world.
FIP congress delegates attending the signing ceremony gave a standing ovation
“There are a lot of bad things happening in the world, and today is an opportunity for pharmacists to do something good,” said PDA’s chair Mark Koziol as he introduced the ‘Medicines To’ concept to the audience and launched the next phase of the development in the main conference auditorium.
Prior to this event, a number of countries had already agreed to join the PDA in the establishment of a Medicines to Gaza campaign. Over the next few weeks, posters appealing for donations from members of the public will be appearing in pharmacy windows and other locations.
The national pharmacy organisations that have already agreed to support the PDA in its Medicines to Gaza campaign and who participated in an emotional signing ceremony at the FIP congress include The Egyptian Organisation for Pharmacy, The Jordanian Pharmacists’ Association, The Malaysian Pharmacists’ Society, The Medicines to Africa Campaign – South Africa and the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon.
“I am enormously proud that we have been able to persuade FIP and the National Pharmacy Leadership organisations from across four different regions of the world to join this important initiative and this is just the start. This gives significant capacity for our profession to work together to bring humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza,“ said Mark Koziol.
Paul Sinclair, the President of FIP, said “Today’s launch has two objectives. Firstly, to announce the Medicines to Africa campaign lead by the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa and secondly to initiate the Medicines to Gaza campaign lead by the Jordanian Pharmacists’ Association. This project has been made possible through the valuable partnership and collaboration of the Pharmacists without Borders and the Pharmacists’ Defence Association.”
Additionally, during the signing ceremony, the national pharmacy organisations that have agreed to support the Medicines To Africa campaign that was commenced by the PDA at last year’s FIP Congress, included The Egyptian Organisation for Pharmacy, Medicines To Africa – South Africa, The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya, The Pharmaceutical Society of Malawi, The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, The Pharmaceutical Society of Tanzania and the Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe.
Mark Koziol, Chairman of the PDA, Paul Sinclair President of FIP and Salah Shubair (Jordanian Pharmacists’ Association) witness Dr Luna El Baziri (the Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon) signing the memorandum of understanding relating to Medicines to Gaza
A UK pharmacy reception organised by the PDA designed to secure more international support took place immediately after the event which was attended by hundreds of Congress delegates. Several other countries immediately confirmed that they would be joining the programme in the very near future.
Vice President of FIP, Daragh Connoly said, “I want to thank Mark for the ‘Medicines To’ initiative because without the visionary leadership that pharmacist colleagues, like Mark and the fantastic team that he has assembled, none of this would have happened.”
There are many significant developments soon to be announced by the PDA, to include how the Medicines to Gaza campaign will be launched in the UK.
Learn more
- Medicines to Ukraine – A personal reflection on the recent visit to Ukraine by PDA Chairman Mark Koziol
- What PDA is doing to support Ukrainian Hospitals
- PDA joins pharmacy organisations across Europe to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine
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