Educating and celebrating pharmacists

To celebrate Pharmacy Month with pride, the West Rand Health District and Dr Yusuf Daddoo Hospital wanted to create more awareness about this prestigious profession and decided to do this with a week filled with fun.

Puseletso Mabidikame from the hospital explained that September is pharmacy month and the pharmacists of the West Rand followed this year’s theme of Pharmacy United in Promoting Healthcare for Patients.

“Both the District Health Services and Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital had their impressive activities at hand.”

The pharmacists celebrated for a whole week and each day had a disease profile or focus, this was accompanied by a dress code and riddles.

Monday, September 11 was Diabetics Day, and the focus was on the importance of sugar monitoring. The participants were dressed in blue and received training from a private health company.

On Tuesday they all dressed in sports attire and learned about the recommended drugs to use to prevent blood clots. Everyone was dolled up with fancy hair pieces on Wednesday and was taught how to treat patients with Tuberculosis.

Thursday’s focus was on HIV treatment and the first-line treatment and a combination drug called LTD were emphasised. Those participating were updated on the amended guidelines for HIV and the colour theme for the day was red.

Friday’s focus was employee well-being, the health and wellness of the staff was taken into consideration and all the employees were reminded to take care of themselves while they continue to serve and care for others.

They took part in information-sharing sessions presented by Oral health, Speech and Audiology as well as physiotherapy.

“They were also screened for blood pressure and glucose before they hit the ground with the team-building activities.”

The team who scored the highest on the riddles and in the activities were the winning team for the day and out of four teams one scooped the awards for both best dressed and the activities. The winning team’s theme was colourful tutu skirts.

Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital Pharmacy celebrated in much the same manner and invited staff members to the pharmacy department every Friday to share their knowledge through training and activities.

Staff had to dress according to the set theme every week and the first Friday was floral attire to welcome spring. The staff was taught how to report on adverse drug reactions. The winner of the best dressed was Rendani Muvhumbe, the Chief Physiotherapist.

The dress code for the second Friday was white tops with blue jeans and the staff had training on anti-microbial stewardship (using antibiotics wisely and appropriately). Basheerah Mayet, a pharmacist, explained that overuse of antibiotics will cause them to be less effective and advocacy is needed for moderate use.

“In support of the Springboks, green was worn on the third Friday. The infection control and the Waste Management team gave a presentation on hand washing.

“We must always wash our hands correctly to avoid carrying germs,” said nurse Sandra Knighton from the Waste Management Department who presented the training. Based on her good work performance she also won a special gift.

The last Friday everyone wore red to promote vaccinations.

“These training and activities are to teach staff and patients more about the pharmacy department and to visibly demonstrate what the profession can do in the healthcare sector. Most importantly, it is also to create awareness on the safe use of medication and to know what medicine they’ve been prescribed and its side effects.”

During the campaign, many experts from different departments also addressed staff and patients on other important issues about health and safety.