DESPITE standing on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to support their communities, the contribution of pharmacists is often overlooked by politicians, the public and the media, researchers believe.
In a paper published this month in the Wiley Public Health Emergency Collection, pharmacists from around the globe have assessed the contribution the profession has made during the COVID crisis.
The authors noted that as the virus spread "the World Health Organization (WHO), the news media, and others recognised physicians and nurses for their heroic frontline efforts".
The paper highlighted the roles pharmacists in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Qatar, South Africa, Lebanon and Nigeria have made in supporting patients in their countries.
"Pharmacists, however, were rarely mentioned," they said.
"Worldwide, pharmacists are providing essential frontline care to COVID19 patients in hospitals, clinics, community pharmacies, longterm care, nursing homes, physician offices, and national and public health.
"The complexity of diagnosing and treating COVID19 patients in the hospital, post discharge or as an outpatient, requires a multidisciplinary team of experts which includes pharmacists.
"While patients and physicians turn to telehealth virtual visits, pharmacies remain open and provide oneonone access to the pharmacist, an essential frontline healthcare provider.
"The news media, the public, and politicians often overlooked pharmacists as essential frontline healthcare providers during the COVID19 pandemic but the list of contributions by pharmacists from nine countries provided in this article can change this perspective."
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