The provincial Department of Health in partnership with various stakeholders held a Pharmacy Month celebration at Mfuleni Community Day Centre recently.
The event was aimed at educating the public on the role of pharmacists and pharmacy support personnel in delivering primary healthcare services.
Under the theme “Pharmacy united in promoting healthcare for patients”, Pharmacy Month is explained as being an opportunity to market the pharmacy profession, bringing together pharmacists from all sectors to communicate to the public that the profession provides quality healthcare.
Operational manager at Mfuleni Community Day Centre, Funeka Ntshwaxu, said the event hoped to highlight the important role that pharmacist plays in the health care system and to encourage communication between the public and pharmacists.
Ms Ntshwaxu said the pharmacy profession is urged to use the month to promote pharmacy and visibly demonstrate the significant role the profession plays in the healthcare sector.
“We thank the traditional health practitioners for sharing valuable information. We do not offer traditional medicine at our facilities however the communities we operate in do offer indigenous medicine.
“We encourage community members to speak to traditional pharmacists if they want to find out more on traditional medicine,” she said.
Traditional health practitioner, Dr Mavuso Gqola, said: “In December last year we signed a memorandum of understanding with the Khayelitsha Eastern Sub-structure with assistance from their Director, James Kruger to help us reach common understanding when serving our patients.
“In some cases, we offer services to the same patients that are seen at clinics. We will be doing all the necessary training that will equip us and define referral pathways as stipulated by the department. We wish all traditional health workers can attend training and learn everything about traditional medicine.”
Chief Vulikhaya Sihluku said most of the plants they had brought, like cancer bush, are indigenous to the Western Cape.
He said it is important to speak to traditional health practitioners to advise you on how to use traditional medicine properly.
