September is National Pharmacy Month 2017
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Don’t Wait – Vaccinate
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The pharmacy profession’s annual awareness drive has been elevated to new heights this year, and Council proudly announces the extension of National Pharmacy Week to a full month. Commencing this year, September will be wholly devoted to pharmacy and celebrated as National Pharmacy Month.
The profession is urged to use the month to promote pharmacy and visibly demonstrate the significant role the profession plays in the healthcare sector. The theme for 2017 is Don’t Wait – Vaccinate.
As of 2017, National Pharmacy Month will supersede pharmacy week and run for the whole of September. The aim of extending the awareness period is to strengthen the profession’s efforts to improve consumer awareness of the crucial role pharmacists play in their daily healthcare needs, and to promote an understanding of the importance of pharmacists in the provision of quality healthcare.
The main theme for 2017 is Don’t wait – vaccinate. Pharmacists are encouraged to promote the importance of vaccinations in safeguarding the health of the country as a whole. Vaccines provide immunity from many infectious diseases and help prevent the spread of serious diseases, some of which can have fatal consequences.
The key messages will focus on emphasising the benefits of vaccinations, what they give protection against, where they are available and when they should be administered. Individuals and families need to understand how important it is to protect themselves and to comply with the recommended vaccination schedules.
Posters and pamphlets, developed by the National Department of Health, the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa and the South African Pharmacy Council, consist of a central image of a child in the forefront of a mosaic image of the community. This image serves to reinforce the sub-theme of: protect yourself, protect your family, protect your community. The posters will be ready for distribution in August 2017.
Artwork will be available for download from www.health.gov.za, www.sapc.za.org, and www.pssa.org.za. Note that the posters are tagged so patients can download the information on their smart phones.
Council and its partners urge the profession to make this year’s campaign the biggest and most impressionable yet. Some activities to consider are exhibition stands, presentations, visits (schools, hospitals, gyms, old age homes), competitions, press releases, information slips, emails, Facebook, Twitter etc.
The Twitter tag @PharmMonth2017 has been registered for those who would like to share their experiences with the healhcare community. Twitter messages will be carried, printed and distributed nationwide. As digital technology has opened up the world’s capacity to communicate widely and swiftly, make optimal use of all social media channels to spread the word.
e-Pharmaciae requests participating pharmacies and facilities to send them a short report and some images showing how they celebrated the month. Make sure you qualify for bragging rights by emailing your National Pharmacy Month stories and photos to Elmari.Venter@sapc.za.org.
National Pharmacy Month is a collaborative activity of the National Department of Health, the South African Pharmacy Council, and the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.
Together, the pharmacist and consumer can achieve the optimum pharmaceutical care results!
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