Details
Category: Volume 06 Issue 06 June 2018
Hits: 1771

Title: Community Pharmacy Practice in Bhutan: Past, Present and Future

Authors: Pelden Chejor, Jigme Tenzin

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i6.93

Abstract

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease. Health is a broad concept involving a team of multidisciplinary health professionals in delivering healthcare services. Pharmacy practice has the potential to provide services to the individual patients and improve the overall quality of life of the patient and the society. Traditionally, pharmacy profession was often regarded as a transitional discipline between the health and chemical sciences and as a profession charged with ensuring the safe use of medication. The International Pharmaceutical Federation recommends for implementation of Good Pharmacy Practice in community pharmacies.

Community Pharmacy is a place where medicines are stored, dispensed, supplied or sold. It acts as a first point of healthcare for majority of population living in the developing countries. Community Pharmacy in Bhutan includes retail and wholesale pharmacies. Retail pharmacies are involved in the sale of medicines and wholesale pharmacies for import and distribution of medicines. There are over 90 licensed retail and wholesale pharmacies in Bhutan and they are required to comply with the medicines rules and regulations. Community Pharmacy Practice in Bhutan has to evolve with the rapidly occurring changes in the healthcare deliveries and growing patient expectations.

Understanding the current practice of community pharmacies in Bhutan would be useful for studying the gaps and existing opportunities for improving the health of the population. This article describes the regulatory requirements and existing practices of community pharmacies in Bhutan.

Keywords: community pharmacies, CP, retail pharmacies, wholesale pharmacies, Bhutan.

References

  1. Constitution of The World Health Organization. Available from http://www.who.int/governance/eb/who_constitution_en.pdf. Cited on 6 June 2018.
  2. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) Article 12. Available from http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cescr.pdf. Cited on 5 June 2018.
  3. Anderson S. 2002. The state of the world’s pharmacy: A portrait of the pharmacy profession. J Interprof Care, 16(4),391-404.
  4. Pearson GJ. 2007. Evolution in the practice of pharmacy-not a revolution. Can Med Assoc J, 176(9),1295-1296.
  5. Stone L. Good Pharmacy Practice in Developing Countries: Recommendations for stepwise implementation. FIP Congr Report, Hague
  6. Khurrum G, Wasif G, Maria G. 2010. Pharmacy teaching and practices problems in Developing Countries-Review. Int J Pharm Teach Pract, 1(1),11-17.
  7. Sing W. 2001. Pharmacy practice in Malaysia. Malaysian J Pharm, 1(1),3-9.
  8. Frances O., Felicity S, Rita S. 2008. Addressing the workforce crisis: the professional aspirations of pharmacy students in Ghana. Pharm World Sci, 30(5),577-583.
  9. Goel PK, Ross-Degnan D, Berman P, Soumerai S. 1996. Retail pharmacies in developing countries: A behavior and intervention framework. Soc Sci Med, 42(8),1155-1161.
  10. Basak SC, Sathyanarayana D. 2009. Community Pharmacy Practice in India: Past, Present and Future. Southern Med Rev, 2(1),11-14.
  11. Stenson B, Syhakhang L, Eriksson B. 2001. Real world pharmacy : assessing the quality of private pharmacy practice in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Soc Sci Med, 52,393-404.
  12. Javeed A, Mahmood TK. 2012. Community Pharmacy Practice in Pakistan: From Past to Present -A Review. J Pharm Sci Res, 4(2),1703-1708.
  13. Hadzović S. 1997. Pharmacy and the great contribution of Arab- Islamic science to its development. Med Arch, 51(1-2),47-50.
  14. Khan TM. 2011. Challenges to pharmacy and pharmacy practice in Pakistan. Australas Med J, 4(4),230-235.
  15. Matthews L. G., History of pharmacy in Britain. Edinburgh and London: E&S Livingstone Ltd. 1962, p. 132 -133.
  16. Barnett M., Frank J, Wehring H, et al. 2009. Analysis of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services in community pharmacies overover 7 years. J Manag Care Pharm, 15(1),18-31.
  17. National Statistics Bureau. Statistical Yearbook of Bhutan. National Statistics Bureau, Thimphu, Bhutan. National Statistics Bureau, Thimphu, Bhutan, 2017.
  18. Tobgay T, Dophu U, Na-Banhchang K. 2011. Health and Gross National Happiness : review of current status in Bhutan. J Multidiscip Healthc, 4,293-298.
  19. Yangchen S, Tobgay T, Melgaard B. 2017. Bhutanese Health and the Health Care System: Past, Present and Future. Druk J, 2(1).
  20. The Constitution of The Kingdom of Bhutan. 2008. National Council of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan. Available from http://www.nationalcouncil.bt/assets/uploads/files/Constitution%20%20of%20Bhutan%20English.pdf. Cited on 18 April 2018.
  21. Thinley S, Sharma J, Wangmo K. Sustainability of Bhutan’s Health Services. Druk J 2017;3(1).
  22. National Health Policy, 2011 Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan. Available from http://www.gnhc.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/nationalHpolicy.pdf. Cited on 9 June 2018.
  23. Chejor P. 2018. Blood and Blood Products Regulation in Bhutan: Progress and Challenges. J Med Sci Clin Res, 06(05), 1128-1132.
  24. Unhurian L, Bielyaieva O, Vyshnytska I, Suschuk N. 2018. Implementation of Standards of Good. Asian J Pharm, 12(1),S42.
  25. Newton P., Amin A., Bird C, et al. 2011. The Primacy of Public Health Considerations in Defining Poor Quality Medicines. PLoS Med, 8(12).
  26. Bhutan Medicines Rules and Regulation. 2012. Drug Regulatory Authority, Bhutan. Available from: http://dra.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Bhutan-Medicines-Rules-and-Regulation-2012.pdf. Cited on 12 April 2018.

Corresponding Author

Pelden Chejor

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Contact# 00975-17162092