Having a skilled health care workforce is a critical component of strong health systems. And in Malawi I help build this health workforce by training and empowering youth to become future supply chain professionals.
In 2013, VillageReach worked with the Malawi Ministry of Health to develop the Pharmacy Assistant (PA) educational program, to train and deploy a new cadre of facility-based pharmacy staff to improve data management, decrease logistics burden on clinical staff and improve quality of care in Malawi.
This two-year certificate-level training program focuses on improving medicines management and pharmaceutical practice in over 650 health facilities across the country. Recently I have been working with academic institutions and the MoH to expand the PA curriculum to include supply chain management and logistics. We believe that a professional supply chain workforce builds public health supply chains that are more responsive, adaptable and ensure products are available when and where they are needed.
To raise awareness among youth about the important role of PA’s in Malawi, I traveled across Malawi to showcase a new short video, “The Pharmacy Assistants of Malawi.” In collaboration with St. Joseph’s College of Health Sciences, we visited St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School in the Southern Region; partnered with Progressive Healthcare Institute (PHI) to visit Youth Care Private Secondary School in the Central Region and together with St. John’s Institute of Health visited Zolozolo Secondary School in the Northern Region. At each event, a PA student, PA graduate, pharmacy assistant training college representatives and I, spoke to secondary school students, 600 in total, to encourage their pursuit of the PA program, and becoming a pharmacy professional that helps deliver quality health care to the most underreached communities.
A student from Zolozolo Secondary school asks a question during the PA video promotion and career talk activity in Mzuzu. (Photo Credit: VillageReach)
Nasra Amina Hassam, Pharmacy Assistant (PA) student from Progressive Healthcare Institute, some school administrators and a group of students from Youth Care Private Secondary school at the PA video promotion and career talk activity in Lilongwe. (Photo Credit: VillageReach)
Ruth Ngozo, Pharmacy Assistant (PA) student from St. Joseph’s College, posing with some of her Lecturers, and students and Principal from St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School at the PA video promotion and career talk activity in Chiradzulu district. (Photo Credit: VillageReach)
Health systems need future generations to carry forward what is working and to find new ways to meet community needs and provide quality health services. I am proud to promote the important role that pharmacy assistants play in both strengthening the public health supply chains and ensuring consistent access to quality health care.
The future of supply chain is in the hands of today’s youth.