Pharmacy Appreciation Month – Celebrating the pharmacy teams who have helped carry us through the pandemic
March 1, 2022
March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month (PAM) in Canada, the annual national campaign that shines a spotlight on all things pharmacy and celebrates the extraordinary efforts and contributions of pharmacy professionals to Canada’s health-care system.
Pharmacy professionals have taken on a lot to help the country through the pandemic. They’ve stayed open and accessible for their patients, showing up each day ready to care for and support them. They’ve been leaders in our communities, educating and guiding patients through the many challenges over the past two years.
“Canadian pharmacy teams have played a huge role in the nationwide public health efforts to fight COVID-19, most recently working extremely hard to vaccinate our kids and meet the surge in demand for booster shots,” says Dr. Danielle Paes, Chief Pharmacist Officer, CPhA. “I’m extremely proud of my colleagues who have now administered more than 17 million COVID-19 vaccines across Canada–on top of all the regular duties and care they provide.”
Pharmacists have embraced their role in public health, expanding their practices to fill critical gaps in care exposed by the pandemic. In addition to screening, testing and vaccinating patients, they’ve played an important role in educating their communities on evolving medical evidence and guidelines and helped to mitigate the spread of misinformation. They have also expanded their role in areas like mental health, point-of-care testing and fighting the opioid crisis.
“While PAM is a time to appreciate and celebrate the role of pharmacy professionals, we also need to acknowledge the challenges faced over two difficult years," adds Paes. “The pandemic and the latest Omicron wave have put pressures on pharmacy teams like never before.”
Part of appreciating our pharmacy workforce is acknowledging their need for our support. CPhA launched its Pharmacy Workforce Wellness initiative recently and conducted a national survey of Canadian pharmacy teams. We will be releasing the survey results and hosting important conversations this month about the current state of mental health and pressures being felt by pharmacy teams. We are committed to forging a path forward to help support pharmacy professionals through this crisis and ensure a healthy, sustainable, and secure future for the profession.
Join CPhA and pharmacy associations across Canada in celebrating PAM2022 and the pharmacy teams who have done so much for our communities. CPhA will be shining a light on many of the amazing pharmacy professionals and pharmacy teams across Canada each day this month.