Pharmaceutical Association of Liberia says it is being neglected by the government

The new president of the Pharmaceutical Association of Liberia, Ms. Fahnbulleh is of the opinion that the country has a lot of difficult problems related to healthcare that pose a threat to the growth of Liberia. 

She said,” We are in a difficult and complex situation as far as healthcare is concerned. There are ethical challenges as well as clinical challenges, issues regarding the protection of profession as well as ensuring the wellbeing of our Pharmacists is all issues that have to be dealt with soon.”

Ms. FahnBulleh says that the above challenges have taken their toll on the service quality that the pharmacists offer and these problems are fundamental to the healthcare delivery system of Liberia. 

She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other issues regarding health have worsened the situation and put undue strain on the scarce resources of the government. This makes it difficult to address this host of challenges. 

According to Ms. Fahnbulleh, the Pharmacy Association like all other professional institutions needs strong leadership that is selfless, placing the overall interest of the members before personal interest. 

She said that it would take strong cooperation and collaboration between PAL and the other institutions as well as their encouragement to help resolve the challenges they face. “We need to function as a team, and recognize that the best success comes from team effort instead of individual effort.”

She said that the primary and most important task of her administration is to unify the Pharmacists Association of Liberia. The PAL, like many other bodies, has issues of its own, and the recent elections had exacerbated these issues. 

She took this opportunity to make a commitment to unifying the Association, initiating dialogues at all levels, and hopes to put in place frameworks that make everybody feel accepted, needed, and important. 

She further noted that pharmacists in Liberia are one of the most educated but least utilized and least paid people in the health sector. 

These actions have paved the way for diminished efforts from pharmacists and also triggered a brain drain in pharmacy because most pharmacists are mulling other options that are more respected and lucrative. 

Ms. Fahnbulleh vowed that her leadership will be much different from the past because, with the support of the PAL members, she will remain committed to finding a solution to the struggle of reclassification.