GSK supports Govt. initiative to educate pharmacists

Thursday, 10 November 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharmaceuticals has lent its support to the government’s drive to improve pharmacy practice in the country by sponsoring an education programme on good pharmacy practice organised by the office of the Provincial Director of Health Services in Matara.

Several high profile regional representatives from government organisations such as the Provincial Director of Health Services – Southern Province, Secretary of the Health Ministry – Southern Province, Regional Director of Health Services – Matara were present at the event.

A doctor from the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, Food and Drug Inspectors in Matara, the Medical Advisor of GSK and around 200 representatives from pharmacies in the area including pharmacy owners and apprentice pharmacists also participated in the programme.

Presentations were made at this seminar by representatives of government health services of the Southern Province, administrators from agencies responsible for the pharmaceuticals sector and experts from GSK.

These lectures covered subjects such as basic microbiology and quality in pharmaceuticals, basic microbiology and personal hygiene, quality assurance in pharmaceuticals and good pharmacy practice.

“GSK has consistently supported healthcare-related initiatives of the government,” Stuart Chapman, Managing Director of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Sri Lanka said. “Our contribution to this awareness campaign represents an extension of that support to address an urgent need. It also strengthens our involvement in efforts to improve pharmacy practice, for which GSK has also conducted a series of its own awareness programmes in many parts of the country.”

GSK has conducted seminars for over 1000 representatives from pharmacies on good pharmacy practice this year.

The latest seminars were conducted by the company in Ratnapura and Negombo.

Last year, GSK also provided a grant to support the production of a guide by the Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka (PSSL) for students preparing for the External Pharmacists Examination conducted by the Ceylon Medical College Council.

GSK and its predecessors have been doing business in Sri Lanka since the late 1930s. A world leading pharmaceuticals and vaccines company, GSK is the only pharmaceuticals company to tackle the three “priority” diseases identified by the World Health Organization (WHO): HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.