The impact of violent conflict on pharmacy practice in the Middle East
 
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1
Department of Public Health and Mortality Studies, School of Social Sciences, Oxford, United Kingdom
 
2
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
 
 
Publication date: 2023-04-27
 
 
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A1683
 
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has witnessed several intense and violent conflicts over the last 10 years. While much is known about the impact of war on various aspects of public health (including pressure on health care institutions, disease outbreaks amongst refugee populations and reduced access to medicines), very little is understood about how war impacts on levels of medicine abuse and misuse amongst populations. Pharmacists are ideally placed to witness and record these practices. This paper asks how violent conflict impacts on the work and experiences of pharmacists, who are at the frontline of managing drug misuse/abuse amongst the population. Methods: The paper is part of a larger two-year (2020-2022) study investigating the impact of violent conflict in the MENA region on medicine abuse/misuse and pharmacy practice in managing this challenge. The study used a mixed-method approach to data-gathering, involving a quantitative survey (n=160) and semi-structured interviews (n=20) with pharmacists in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq. This paper, specifically, focuses on the public health role of pharmacists in violent contexts. Results: The results show that violent conflicts have far-ranging consequences for pharmacy practice, especially in community settings. The results highlight the challenges which pharmacists face during conflict, including the (in)accessibility of medicines, the collapse of institutional frameworks, threats to personal safety, damage to infrastructure and the need to balance ethical considerations and their own wellbeing vis-à-vis that of the patient. The research outlines the safety measures that pharmacists take to protect themselves and how these measures impact on their provision of healthcare. Conclusions: The research led to greater awareness of the role that pharmacists play in the public health of conflict-affected populations. Recommendations are made for how pharmacists can be more effectively supported during war.
 
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The analysis of dynamics of physical accessibility of pharmaceutical aid in Ukraine
V.M. Koval, O.V. Kryvoviaz
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ISSN:2654-1459
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