Roles and Challenges of Pharmacists Working at Primary Health Clinics during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

As the lockdowns are being observed all over the globe and the national level pharmacy professionals are performing frontline roles, this commentary highlights the role and challenges of pharmacists working at primary health clinics during COVID − 19 pandemic. Pharmacists are nationally providing services amidst pandemic, including supplying personal protective equipment and reducing the patients’ burden on health clinics through advancement in pharmaceutical services. Pharmacists are also working to deal with the increasing number of walk-in patients to the clinics and helping them to acquire medicines which are not available in the clinics. Among others, the two main challenges that pharmacists are facing are a shortage of personal protective equipment and difficulties in providing counselling to patients while having to maintain social distancing. This commentary gives an insight to those pharmacists who practice at the public health clinics from other countries and can be adopted and adapted by any nation; keeping in view their laws and regulations.