Tuesday, September 2, 2025

16:15 - 18:00

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Details

Location Treehouse North Restaurant Chair Rafa Al Khalifa Introduction Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to play a vital role in humanitarian crises, offering their knowledge of medicines, logistical capabilities, and compassion to communities in need. At the forefront of global humanitarian aid are pharmacists who work with organisations like Pharmacists Without Borders (PSF), similar in mission to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). This event is hosted by the Early Careers Pharmacy Group (ECPG) in collaboration with the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) and seeks to inspire and equip early career pharmacists to engage meaningfully in humanitarian work. Through campaigns like ‘Medicines To…’, money raised allows pharmacists to procure and deliver the right medications. An example of this was seen when the PDA led missions delivering medicines to frontline areas such as Ukraine, navigating complex regulatory systems and managing procurement logistics across borders. Humanitarian pharmacy involves not only frontline care but also behind-the-scenes expertise which liaises with local authorities, aligning procurement with production cycles, and ensuring compliance with global and local regulations. This session will shine a spotlight on the realities and responsibilities of humanitarian pharmacy, highlight the importance of localisation and mental resilience, and offer practical ways to get involved. Main Purpose of the Event The ‘Pharmacists for Humanity’ student humanitarian event will: - Educate early careers pharmacists and students about the role of pharmacists in humanitarian response. - Showcase the ‘Medicines To…’ journey, a global initiative providing critical medicines to crisis-affected regions. - Define humanitarian aid: what it means to be a humanitarian, how charities operate, and the logistics behind missions. - Share first-hand experiences from pharmacists on the frontline. - Engage participants in an interactive panel Q&A session. - Empower attendees with takeaways, next steps, and opportunities to get involved post-event. - Enable national pharmacy leaders to encourage pharmacy students in their country to organise fundraising events to support humanitarian relief. Learning Objectives By the end of the event, attendees will gain: 1. Awareness → Recognise the structural, ethical, and operational aspects of humanitarian aid. 2. Action → Take informed steps by understanding the various roles pharmacists can play in humanitarian programmes. 3. Opportunity → Gain insight into real-world missions and how to prepare for such opportunities. Take Home Messages - Pharmacists are essential to not only ensure the safe supply of medicines but also coordinating the wider humanitarian effort - Effective humanitarian work requires collaboration, cultural understanding, and localisation. - Getting involved begins with awareness and readiness to act, this event is your starting point.