Workshop on "Capacity building for community pharmacists to meet the needs of elderly patients at primary care by setting up a cooperation model between family medical doctor and community pharmacists "
Within the WHO - VIETNAM health cooperation program, biennium 2016 - 2017, a workshop on "Capacity building for community pharmacists to meet the needs of elderly patients at primary care by setting up a cooperation model between family medical doctor and community pharmacists” was organized by Hanoi University of Pharmacy on 13th and 14th of November 2017 at HUP campus.
Attending the workshop, there were Prof. Van Hees Thierry from the University of Liege, Belgium, Dr. Lai Duc Truong - technical consultant, representative of WHO Country office in Vietnam, delegates from a various differentuniversities of pharmacy nationwide such as Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy and the participants came from associations and organizations using community pharmacists and family medical doctors.
Speaking at the opening session, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Responsible and Executive Vice Rector of Hanoi University of Pharmacy said that population aging is increasing rapidly in many different countries all over the world, but the fastest is still in the developing countries, including Vietnam.
"It can be said that population aging is one of the achievements of humanity, demonstrating significant improvements in health, nutrition and socio-economic development, bringing great opportunities for individuals, family and community. However, the population aging also poses many challenges and a profound impact on the development and stability of each country” - Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh shared.
In Vietnam, according to the General Office for Population Family Planning, as of July 2017, there were about 10.1 million elderly people, accounting for 11% of the population. The number of people 80 years old and above was 2 million. It is forecasted that by 2030, the proportion of the elderly will be 18% and 26% respectively by 2050. If developed economies take decades or even centuries to move from the population aging to the old population, with current rate of population aging, Vietnam only takes 15 years.
According to experts, the population aging is an opportunity but also a challenge for Vietnam. In addition to ensuring the health care for the elderly, all issues from education, training, social security, health and economy will have opportunities for development ... the health sector also faces with regular patterns of illness occurring in the elderly which cost a great deal of money and become the burden of the health insurance fund as well as families.
According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Binh: Medical care is a patient-centered practice in which health experts take responsibilities for the patient’s drug needs and ensure the completion of those responsibilities. Pharmacy care consists of two main contents: (1) Identify top priority objectives in treatment; (2) Select the drug with the highest efficiency/safety and economic efficiency.
Concluding the opening session, Prof. TS. Nguyen Thanh Binh also affirmed: "The gradual tightening of the relationship and the enhancement of co-ordination between doctors, pharmacists and health care workers in health care and promotion of the elderly at the medical level as well as strengthening the capacity, knowledge, skills and attitudes, especially drug knowledge, treatment and communication skills for community pharmacists is one of the urgent tasks in the coming period to help ensure long-term health care policies for the elderly"
The workshop received experience sharing and contributions from international participants and relevant organizations in proposing a coordination mechanism between family medical doctors and community pharmacists in enhancing health care for the elderly right from the grassroots level.
09-01-2018
