Transforming the pharmaceutical workforce in the eastern mediterranean region: A call for action

Abstract

Planning and development of the pharmaceutical workforce is fundamental to achieving universal health coverage and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has rec-ognized the importance of constructing mechanisms for transforming the global workforce. FIP has launched a developmental road map in order to support and facilitate global, regional and national transformations of pharmaceutical education and the workforce. Literature on the pharmaceutical workforce in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region is limited but what there is reports persistent workforce challenges. This necessitates stronger engagement across all countries of the Region to develop workable and sustainable strategic plans for workforce and educational development by adopting and adapting approaches to national transformation needs and the FIP roadmap. Countries have an opportunity to engage with FIP in collaborative programmes to implement the FIP roadmap locally, and provide proof of concept and a leadership model for other WHO regions.