Following two successful conferences in 2013 and 2016, the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) is proud to once again present the 3rd National Pharmacy Conference; which has established itself as the premier multi-stakeholder conference for the pharmacy profession in South Africa. The conference will be held from the 3rd to 5th October 2019 at Sun City, North West Province. Over the years, the conference has managed to attract a growing number of professionals in all sectors of pharmacy.

While the conference continues to be a unified platform for the advancement of the pharmacy industry, each instalment has allowed for a healthy dose of recreation, networking and relaxation. The 3rd National Pharmacy Conference would continue this spirit. The conference will also boast the 3rd National Pharmacy Conference Golf Day on 2 October 2019 (at the Lost City Golf Course) and the 2019 National Pharmacy Pioneer Professional and Facility Awards Ceremony on 5 October 2019 – which will honour pharmacy professionals and pharmacies who have delivered exceptional service and made a difference in their communities.

The pharmacy industry and pharmacists, as protagonists in the provision of pharmaceutical care, find themselves facing a changing operating environment, brought about by changes in patient needs and preferences as well as technological innovations that seek to disrupt the status quo. To ensure that the profession continues to be at the forefront of delivering meaningful quality pharmaceutical care for all, a concerted effort through dialogue, collective advocacy, professional development, and skills transfer among pharmacy professionals nationwide is necessary. The 3rd National Pharmacy Conference aims to be the platform that enables this kind of collaboration.

Inspired by the Vision 2030 as outlined in the National Development Plan, the 3rd National Pharmacy Conference will have as its theme: “Plugged-in, Engaged, Become a catalyst for change”. This is a clarion call for all in pharmacy to be involved in shaping the future of pharmacy and how it continues to contribute to responding the healthcare needs of a society that is rapidly adapting to technological advancements.

This conference will not only address the role of pharmacy in an information society, but will also attend to topical issues such as the transformation of the pharmacy industry, increasing access to pharmaceutical services and ensuring universal access by 2030 in line with the NDP. This conference will be building on the dialogues and success of the 1st and 2nd National Pharmacy conferences held in Sun City and Durban in 2013 and 2016, respectively, among which we can count the introduction of a new cadre of pharmacy support personnel, the recognition of speciality fields in pharmacy, and introduction of remote dispensaries. Between 2013 and 2016, the number of pharmacists, allied professionals, and other dignitaries attending the conference increased from just 700 in the 1st National Pharmacy Conference to more than 1000 at the 2nd National Pharmacy Conference in 2016.

The 3rd National Pharmacy Conference presents another opportunity to gather all the sectors of pharmacy (i.e. community, institutional, wholesale, manufacturing, academia, consultant, etc.) to come together to tackle, debate and attempt to resolve issues that are common to all in pharmacy and to reflect on the recommendations that were made in 2013 and 2016.

The South African Pharmacy Council, on behalf of all pharmacy professionals, expresses gratitude for the support received from the industry which ensured that the 1st and 2nd conferences were world-class gatherings that ensured meaningful dialogues for the advancement of the profession. Even the success of the 2019 conference will be heavily contingent on the generosity of partners in the pharmacy industry; the SAPC, therefore, calls upon all players in the pharmacy industry to partner with the profession to ensure the delivery of another world-class convention in the form of the 3rd National Pharmacy Conference.

Delegates can register online for the conference on www.sapcconference.za.org More information is also available on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/3NPCSAPC/

The 2019 National Pharmacy Conference is a must-attend for all across the pharmaceutical value-chain as it will reflect on issues of interest locally and internationally in the private and public healthcare sectors.

Please don’t miss out on an opportunity to be part of this important conference. Continue to visit the website for important information such as when the registration for delegates opens, exhibitions, sponsorships, accommodation, etc.