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ISSUE 53 th 25 FEBRUARY 2008INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL STUDENTS’ FEDERATION

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IPSF Executive Committee Introduction2007-08

thThe 9 Pharmaceutical Day in Rwanda 18-20 December 2007

This Pharmaceutical Day was organised by the

Pharmaceutical Students' Association of Rwanda

(AEPHAR) in collaboration with the Rwandese Ministry of

Health. It was organised with the aim of discussing the

efforts of our government and other health professionals in

prevention strategies and treatment of the main sub-

region diseases such as malaria, TB and HIV. The role of

the pharmacist in executing positive changes to achieve

these objectives was a main focus.

The two first days were reserved for workshops on AEPHAR

issues, such as the General Assembly, AEPHAR future and

other issues related to Rwandian pharmacy students. After

the workshops the report and other AEPHAR official

documents were approved. On 20 December, 2007 we

had a heavy programme, because of different interesting

presentations given by different health professionals from

our country.

and linking many friendships with other foreign After the opening remarks we had a presentation on

organisations in the pharmaceutical sector, as well as in “AEPHAR achievements and perspectives”, by Mr. Albert

other related fields.Busumbigabo. From its foundation, AEPHAR has achieved

many goals such as marketing its name inside and outside He added that AEPHAR attended the 53 IPSF World

the country, establishing its standard constitutions and Congress in Taiwan, China and its president has been

domestic rules, increasing members' participation in IPSF honoured to be elected as the African regional co-

Suresh had his first involvement with IPSF John first became involved in 2003 at the

when he was Contact Person and Student Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash Exchange Officer for Nepal during 2003-04. University, Melbourne Australia. Prior to

He was one of the founding members of Nepal Pharmacy being appointed Chairperson of Professional Development,

Students' Society (NPSS) and served as the secretary of he was elected Chairperson of Asia-Pacific Regional Office

the second NPSS executive committee. He attended the (APRO) in 2006, Secretary General of APRO 2005, National 51 Congress in Bonn and 6 Asia Pacific Pharmaceutical Councillor for National Australian Pharmacy Students'

Symposium in Kathmandu. He is also one of the three Association (NAPSA), Australia 2003, President of the

(APPS) IPSF representatives for the P-squared project in Victorian Pharmacy Students’ Association 2004 and

collaboration with the International Federation of Medical Chairperson of NAPSA National Congress 2007. He has

Students' Associations (IFMSA). He was recently since attended three IPSF World congresses and three IPSF appointed as the Chairperson of Pharmacy Education and Asia Pacific Symposiums from 2005. He hopes to spread the looks forward to an exciting year ahead. He is expecting to spirit of serving the student body which has been fun and graduate with a Master of Pharmacy in August 2008. rewarding over the last few years. Vive la pharmacie!

a st th

rd

About 300 health professionals participated effectively in the plenary sessions; they were very

attentive to the presentations.

th

rd

ordinator. He explained the role of IPSF in the entire üStrategies of TB control in Rwanda and level of its

development of world healthcare awareness; this role is infection in population, by Dr. Isaïe Nzeyimana in

crucial and beneficial to many individuals. charge of Multiresistant Tuberculosis in the National

Programme to Fight against TB (PNILT).Monique Mukandabarasa, who works in pharmaceutical

exploitation in the Rwandese Insurance Agency (RAMA) üThe ro l e o f Management Sc i ences f o r

gave a presentation on the 'Contribution of RAMA in Health/Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems

fighting against Malaria, HIV and TB'. She gave a brief (MSH/SPS) in strengthening pharmaceutical care and

background on RAMA, then explained its contribution in services, by Phn. Gaparayi Patrick from USAID.The closing ceremony was given by the Dean of the Faculty malaria, TB and HIV control. RAMA, as a health insurance of Science, Mr. Celestin Mageza, Msc. in presence of the of public workers, has a great role to play in disease Academic Secretary of the Department of Pharmacy, the control. The RAMA holds an open conference every year, Representative of the Rwandese Pharmacists' Association with many healthcare professionals participating and (ARPHA) and the Representative of the Pharmaceutical during which the official list of essential drugs insured by Task Force (PTF) in the Ministry of Health. RAMA is decided.

In addition, there were also presentations on:

üContribution of Pharmaceutical Laboratory of Rwanda Albert Busumbigabo(LABOPHAR) in fighting against Malaria, HIV and TB, Pharmaceutical Students' Association of Rwanda

by Phn. Karamuka, Msc. (AEPHAR), Rwanda

ISSUE #53

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hospital, retail, industry and regulatory settings. Certainly, Xperience Pharmacy Camp 2007 for Junior College (JC) the talks gave the students a greater awareness of the students was a vibrant and unforgettable affair. The diversity of prospects of pharmacy.pharmacy profession comprises “multi-faceted, multi-

talented individual with competencies in a variety of

domains including clinical and scientific expertise, Reflections

communication and teamwor.” Indeed, it was a chance for students of NUS pharmacy to exhibit these qualities The past Xperience Pharmacy camps used to be day and enlighten prospective students about the pharmacy sessions during which many students chose to skip profession in Singapore. certain activities. The transition of the camps from day

sessions to a three day-two night stayover ensured that Detailed preparations began in March 2007 to ensure a students experienced the full package of the events smooth and successful event. One hundred thirty three lined up and was thus more beneficial. We plan to look participating students were divided into groups led by into having more interactive activities and more student helpers and an introduction of the course was interesting yet educational workshops for future camps so presented to the students with a talk by our professors to that these will leave a greater impression on the students

open the camp. After having an impression of how the rather than the games which culminated the day’s

course functions, the students were thrust into the activities.

realm of pharmacy.

To fellow IPSFers, organising a pharmacy camp for A series of interactive dispensing sessions followed,

prospective undergraduates is an excellent way in creating which provided students with a chance to unravel the

awareness about our profession among the inquisitive mechanics of formulating medications including creams,

teens. Whether or not they choose to do pharmacy in inhalations and injections. The ‘Know Your Drugs’

future, we are certain that they have brought home the workshops gave students a better understanding of

idea of how versatile pharmacy is. I wish you the very best minor ailments and appropriate medication use, and as you continue to contribute to the professional

covered topics such as dermatological care, sunscreen development of the profession!

protection, diarrhea and constipation. These activities were conducted by some of our very own able and enthusiastic third year students. Selena Teng

Contact PersonTalks were conducted by experienced and well-known National University of Singapore Pharmaceutical Society,

personnel of the major sectors of pharmacy in Singapore. Singapore

They included pharmacists and executives from the

Xperience Pharmacy Camp National University Singapore

12-14 December 2007th

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Do you remember the first global healthcare students

symposium called World MaPS held in Malta in November

2005? The original idea behind this event was to bring

together students from different healthcare professions

for a joint global event emphasizing an interdisciplinary

approach towards overall healthcare practices and

management. This first attempt at solidarity brought

together over 220 healthcare professional students from

over 40 countries! Set against the beautiful Maltese

landscape, World MaPS was successful because for the

first time, it officially acknowledged and recognized a need

– it was a need for collaboration among students for the

advancement of healthcare practice and the safety of our

patients.

Two years later, students from around the world gathered

for a second time in Albufeira, Portugal, which was the site

of the 2nd World Healthcare Students' Symposium

(WHSS), held from 26 November – 1 December, 2007.

Even more attended and far-reaching than its predecessor

in 2005, WHSS in Portugal confirmed that although we plenary discussions, interactive group breakout sessions, have different healthcare roles, we are indeed working for and case studies. Topics covered many areas, including one goal: to provide the best possible care for our multi-professional and livelong learning, curricula design, patients. cost effectiveness in healthcare and ethical implications,

sustainability of healthcare workers, risk prevention and A Joint Working Group (JWG) full of student leaders from

patient safety, pharmaceutical testing and expanding the pharmacy, physician, and nursing professions, put

influence, public health in developed countries, sexually together a packed schedule of events that included

transmitted diseases, neglected diseases, euthanasia and stimulating education sessions, an amazing World AIDS

palliative care, and tuberculosis.Day display, and of course, plenty of site-seeing and

evening social events in Albufeira and around the Algarve WHSS 2007 was a week of intense education, networking, region of Portugal. Over the course of the week, attendees and fun! This amazing event was made possible by a small were treated to a variety of lectures, parallel sessions, group of visionary student and new practitioner leaders

from several European and international healthcare

associations, including IPSF. The WHSS Joint Working

Group (JWG) was chaired by IPSF Representative,

Micheline Götti (Switzerland) and included Kerstin

Neumann (Germany) as the second IPSF representative.

The WHSS Organizing Committee in Portugal was co-

chaired by IPSF member and EPSA Immediate Past-

President, Sérgio Pancadas and his IFMSA/EMSA

counterpart, Samuel Ribeiro.

Many thanks are owed to the above individuals and the

numerous other volunteers who worked tirelessly and with

unwavering dedication on this project for the past 2 years.

Your hard work on this great event was much appreciated

and is a true testament to the IPSF spirit! Viva la

Pharmacie!

Neveen AbdelghaniChairperson of Public Relations 2007-08

nd2 World Healthcare Students' Symposium 2007

Karen McGill and Neveen Abdelghani with 2 of the Portuguese OC in front of the World AIDS Day display

From left to right: Neveen Abdeghani, Mette Lykke Rathje, Pernille Miller, and Karen McGill during

WHSS 2007 Portugal

ISSUE #53

From the first breath I took on the plane heading to Public health attracted great interest and the discussion

Albufeira, Portugal, I could tell that the 2nd World and lecture halls were flooded with participants from all

Healthcare Students Symposium (WHSS) 2007 was going professions as Professor Ni, Yen-Hsuan explained the new

to be an extraordinary experience! There was the vaccine assembled in Taiwan, China to fight the Hepatitis B

magnificent blend of multi-professional speakers and Virus (HBV), with passionate discussion on the possibility

attendants add to that the unique spices of Albufeira, of one day eradicating HBV.

making it an unforgettable week! A memorable quote from Professor Stephen Chapman was

The WHSS began with Professor Nigel Bax's lecture on “We will one day have to make a decision that will affect at

multi-professional learning conveyed that it was a least one life out there, so what ever we do we need to

necessary and feasible achievement. Professor Ian Bates think more than once about it!” Being health care

later presented on life-long learning and the role of professionals means a lot more than neatly pressed white

continuous professional development in professional coats or smart looks but it is all about caring and if we do

education and the need to focus on how to lessen the gap not truly sense that, then we are definitely in the wrong

between rhetoric and reality. In addition, ethics was also place!

discussed at the Ethics Code plenary discussion, with the As I headed home, my mind was full of ideas that I wanted

dilemma of cost effectiveness and relative-effectiveness to implement. As I write this today, I am taking my first

as hot topics for all.steps towards implementing the best thing I learnt in

WHSS Portugal - that is, working together as a multi-

professional healthcare team.

Many thanks to the WHSS Joint Working Group for

providing this access to the issues we tackled and will

propose them on our upcoming event which will discuss

multi-professional learning as one of its corner stone

issues.

Last but not least, I would like to thank IPSF for giving me

the opportunity to attend such a wonderful event! My

advice to all students is to attend the upcoming WHSS

2009, wherever it may be.

Mariam BadawiAlexandria Scientific and Pharmaceutical Students'

Association (ASPSA), EgyptMariam received IPSF Development Fund grant for

registration and travel costs for this event.

nd2 World Healthcare Students' Symposium 2007 – Egyptian Perspective

ISSUE #53

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The 54 IPSF Congressin Cluj Napoca, RomaniaRegistration open at www.ipsf2008.org

th 7 APPS Thailand 27 June – 3 Julyregistration available now at

7 PARS in Mexico 2 – 7 June 2008

www.apps2008.com

th

th

From left to right: Neveen Abdelghani, Bedan Mbuthia Maina, Mariam Badawi, Susana Gassmann, and Karen McGill

during WHSS 2007 Portugal