2013 WPPF/FIP Scholarship Winners

Mr. Nibhay Nand B.Pharm (CSU), MPS, FPS 

Community Pharmacist in the Islands of Fiji 

Board Member on Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

 Member: Fiji Pharmaceutical Society

It is an honour to be recognised as a young pharmacist within the Pacific Islands, through being chosen as one of the FIP/WPPF travel grant scholars.

As a recipient of the Dublin 2013 FIP travel grant, this will be an exciting platform to meet a vast academy of pharmacists that arise from a variety of faculty’s. Not only will this experience allow me to attain knowledge in a global setting, but also share my experience as a pharmacist from the Islands of Fiji on a global platform.

With large involvement in the community as a community pharmacist I see it important to gain more knowledge from professional colleague’s around the world to discuss the combination and utilization of pharmacy as an essential health service. It’s important to acknowledge that in developing countries like Fiji and around the pacific alike, the pharmacist is the first point of contact between patient and the primary healthcare system.

I have enjoyed a passion for the Pharmaceutical Practice Industry from a very young age. I have been a registered Pharmacist in Fiji for a number of years. I have worked in a number of pharmacies over the past few years gaining experience and being able to have a greater understanding of what being a community pharmacist is all about. With good collaboration with pharmacists from around the world, it will allow greater understanding of delivering health services in a primary healthcare setting. This will allow community pharmacists to positively impact improving consumer health outcomes, as community pharmacists are at the heart of every local community.

I am very appreciative to have been given the opportunity to attend the Dublin 2013 FIP world congress, with a lot of gratitude to be given to Mr John Ware OAM and WPPF Executive Committee members, in conjunction with Carola van der Hoeff and Board of Directors of FIP for this exciting opportunity. The attendance at the Dublin 2013 FIP World Congress will provide me ways to learn on improvement in regards to patient care with every patient that presents, this I can see as an invaluable tool in assisting the improvement of the nation’s healthcare

Madayaw! I would like to thank the WPPF and FIP for this great privilege to be chosen as a travel scholar for the 2013 FIP Congress in Dublin, Ireland.  To Mr. John Ware This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent my country the Philippines in the largest gathering of Pharmacists from around the globe.  I came to know about the FIP Conference and the Travel Grant through Erick Salenga, the first Filipino travel scholar of FIP.   Ever since then, I have envisioned myself to one day become on of the travel scholars.

I am excited to attend the conference as the previous participants upon returning to our country gained a new paradigm in their respective areas of practice.  My main purpose in vying for the FIP Travel Scholarship is to create the realization of practice and theory in my life’s education and experiences that would create a positive impact for pharmacists especially in Mindanao, to my students in the univerisity, and to the community which I am a part of.  The FIP Congress 2013 has a timely theme: “Towards a Future Vision for Complex Patients” that addresses the current challenges we face in the Philippines especially on the island of Mindanao. In recent years, Mindanao has been the focus of international assistance programs and one of the key areas that are funded by these programs are health and nutrition. The current socio-economic status of Mindanao poses a challenging environment for pharmacists to provide quality pharmaceutical service. There is a need for a new breed of pharmacists that will not only dispense medications but also aid in the provision positive health outcomes by providing pharmaceutical care. This gives the Filipino Pharmacist an opportune time to actively take part and provide our unique insight in the development of a healthcare program that will directly impact local communities. This conference will provide me the avenue to realize this goal. It will give me a chance to glean on the pharmacy practices in Europe, in particular Ireland.

Upon my return, I will re-echo my learnings with the local pharmaceutical associations (through CPE) and with college of pharmacies. Attending the FIP Congress will not only benefit myself but especially the pharmacists and the pharmacy students of Mindanao. I will serve as a conduit of knowledge and information to further our advocacy that a pharmacist is an indispensable member in the management of complex patients. Maraming Salamat!