[afro-nets] Role of African pharmacists in the control of AIDS epidemic

General afro-nets
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Role of African pharmacists in the control of AIDS epidemic
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Dear Afro-Netters

In 2003, the HIV/AIDS epidemic were estimated to 37,8 millions
infected adults and children throughout the world. The people
living with the HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa were roughly es-
timated to 70% of the cases. AIDS epidemic is a concern in every
country and for every health care professional. Researches to
get an effective vaccine are in a hopeful way but such a vaccine
is not available yet. So, all the actors implicated are focusing
their efforts on stopping the transmission of the virus.

I'm a pharmacist. In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, phar-
macists are professionals who work (sometimes very hard), but in
the shade of other health care professionals. In Mali we say:
they sweat in the rain.

I'd like to put under discussion the following topic. What could
be the role of African pharmacists in addition to those of other
health professionals:
1. In the prevention of HIV transmission?
2. In the improvement of the quality and the observance of AIDS
treatment?

I wish a large contribution of Afro-Netters.

Sincerely,

Dr Boubou Coulibaly
Pharmacien, DU Epidémiologie ISPED Bordeaux
BP. 7087, Bamako, Mali
Tel.: +223-220-48-14
mailto:boubou@afribone.net.ml

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Role of African pharmacists in the control of AIDS (2)
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I would also be very interested in encouraging discussion on
this topic. My particular perspective is to find out what ten-
sion there are between the perceived or ideal role of pharma-
cists and the reality of what pharmacists can or are allowed to
do.

Politicians are allowed to pontificate about what should happen
- health workers have to make it happen. In South Africa, we are
really battling to get our ARV role-out happening because we
just do not have the numbers of trained people to make sure that
it happens properly. Even if one were to focus on the role of
pharmacists as supervisors of pharmacist's assistants, (or phar-
macy technicians), shortages of both are a serious problem.

With the imperative of the politicians to suddenly make things
happen, my concern is that we will sacrifice quality ARV pharma-
ceutical care. What do you think?

Billy Futter
mailto:B.Futter@ru.ac.za