By Charles Mkoka
Pharmacists have been called upon to strengthen their duties and work more efficiently in clinical practice, with greater responsibility towards patient safety and outcomes.
Speaking at the symposium Pharmacy Forward: Performance, Collaboration and Health Transformation, Mr. Buganda Leonard, a Clinical Pharmacist at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacy from MUHAS, emphasized that pharmacists must put patients’ lives first and apply all their skills both advanced and basic to save lives.
“During Clinical Pharmacy Services (CPS) activities, and similar tasks, if there is no documentation, it professionally means nothing has been done,” he noted, stressing the importance of proper record-keeping.
Mr. Leonard further underscored that all patient recommendations should be treated as vital references in documentation. He explained that CPS plays a key role in ensuring medical safety and effectiveness, optimizing polypharmacy, enhancing patient outcomes, and ultimately reducing healthcare costs.
“Nurses, doctors and laboratory technicians regard pharmacists as among the most important members of the treatment team, and you need to act accordingly,” he added.
Currently, more than 200 pharmacists are employed across the national hospital, specialized hospitals, and regional referral hospitals, where they continue to receive on-the-job training.
A significant milestone has also been reached with the allocation of a dedicated space for clinical pharmacy notes in the national e-HIMS system. Looking ahead, clinical pharmacy is expected to benefit further from technological advancements in healthcare.
