Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Pharmacists’ growing role in prevention and self-care comes into focus on World Pharmacists Day, observed annually on September 25, as the profession evolves beyond dispensing medicines to play a broader role in patient care.
This year, World Pharmacists Day is being celebrated under the theme “Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures”.
On the occasion, Aletihad spoke to healthcare experts about pharmacists’ changing role in the UAE’s healthcare sector.
Dr Khalifa Elmusharaf, Associate Professor and Director of the Public Health Programme at the University of Birmingham Dubai, said pharmacists have a growing role in prevention and early intervention.
“Pharmacists are one of the most accessible points of the health system,” he said.
In the UAE, their role increasingly includes identifying health risks, supporting patients with diabetes and hypertension, and improving treatment adherence.
“This is particularly important as the UAE continues to strengthen prevention and tackle the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.”
He added that every pharmacy interaction can improve health literacy, encourage healthier behaviours and identify risks early.
“The value of pharmacists should therefore be seen not only in the medicines they safely provide, but also in the illnesses they help prevent.”
Arda Arat, General Manager, Gulf & Near East, Haleon, said pharmacists are central to prevention and early intervention.
“Pharmacists, as the frontline, are at the heart of this effort,” he said, helping people make informed self-care decisions before minor issues become more serious.
They support pharmacists across the UAE through training and education programmes, while emphasising early intervention to prevent illness and improve public health.
“As the UAE's healthcare system continues to evolve, empowering pharmacists to play a greater role in prevention and self-care will be essential,” Arat said.
Rodney Smith, Managing Director MENAP, Kenvue, said pharmacists can help ease pressure on healthcare systems by addressing everyday health concerns early.
“Health systems across MENAP are carrying more demand than they were built for, and the pharmacist is one of the few people in the system who can relieve that pressure at the point it starts,” he said.
The support includes providing pharmacists across the region with clinical education and evidence, reflecting a broader focus on making self-care safer.
"A conversation about a cough, a dosage, a skin complaint or quitting smoking is a consultation that rarely ever needs escalation. Multiply that across a region of this size and the effect on the system is substantial."
