CONTENTS PAGE NUMBER

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………….1

UNIT 1: WHO BUILDING BLOCKS OF A HEALTH SYSTEMS……………………….2

UNIT 2: PHARMACY AS A PROFESSION………………………………………………5

UNIT 3: APPLYING COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE SERVICES ......…………………9

UNIT 4: PUBLIC HEALTH…………………………………………………………….….13

UNIT 5: HEALTH PROMOTION…………………………………………………………14

UNIT 6: HEALTH EDUCATION…………………………………………………………18

UNIT 7: HEALTH EDUCATION CODE OF ETHIES FULL TEXT…………………….21

UNIT 8: NATIONAL DRUG POLICY……………………………………………………24

UNIT 9: CODE OF ETHICS FOR PHARMACISTS……………………………………...27

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacy practice is a discipline in Pharmacy that prepares Pharmacy Students of their roles in
the health care system. Pharmacy practice facilitate the integration of all other health sciences.
what is a health system? This can be addressed using the 6 building blocks of a health systems as
described by WHO.

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UNIT 1: WHO BUILDING BLOCKS OF A HEALTH SYSTEMS
1. Health service delivery
Strengthening service delivery is crucial to the achievement of the health-related Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), which include the delivery of interventions to reduce child mortality,
maternal mortality and the burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Service provision or
delivery is an immediate output of the inputs into the health system, such as the health workforce,
procurement and supplies, and financing

Key characteristics of good health service delivery

Good service' delivery is a vital element of any health system. Service delivery is a fundamental
input to population health status, along with other factors, including social determinants of health.
The precise organization and content of health services will differ from one country to another,
but in any well-functioning health system, the network of service delivery should have the
following key characteristics.
a. Comprehensiveness: A comprehensive range of health services is provided, appropriate to
the needs of the target population, including preventative, curative, palliative and rehabilitative
services and health promotion activities.
b. Accessibility: Services are directly and permanently accessible with no undue barriers of cost,
language, culture, or geography. Health services are close to the people, with a routine point
of entry to the service network at primary care level (not at the specialist or hospital level).
Services may be provided in the home, the community, the workplace, or health facilities as
appropriate.
c. Coverage: Service delivery is designed so that all people in a defined target population are
covered, i.e., the sick and the healthy, all income groups and all social groups.
d. Continuity: Service delivery is organized to provide an individual with continuity of care
across the network of services, health conditions, levels of care, and over the life-cycle.
e. Quality: Health services are of high quality, 1.e. they are effective, safe, centered on the
patient's needs and given in a timely fashion.
f. Person-centeredness: Services are organized around the person, not the disease or the
financing. Users perceive health services to be responsive and acceptable to them. There is
participation from the target population in service delivery design and assessment. People are
partners in their own health care.
g. Coordination: Local area health service networks are actively coordinated, across types of
provider, types of care, levels of service delivery, and for both routine and emergency
preparedness. The patient's primary care provider facilitates the route through the needed
services, and works in collaboration with other levels and types of provider. Coordination also
takes place with other sectors (e.g., social services) and partners (e.g., community
organizations).

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h. Accountability and efficiency: Health services are well managed so as to achieve the core
elements described above with a minimum wastage of resources. Managers are allocated the
necessary authority to achieve planned objectives and held accountable for overall
performance and results. Assessment includes appropriate mechanisms for the participation of
the target population and civil society.

2. Health workforce
The health workforce can be defined as "all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to
enhance health" (3). These human resources include clinical staff, such as physicians, nurses,
pharmacists and dentists, as well as management and support staff, i.e., those who do not deliver
services directly but are essential to the performance of health systems, such as managers,
ambulance drivers and accountants.

3. Health information system

Sound and reliable information is the foundation of decision-making across all health system
building blocks. It is essential for health system policy development and implementation,
governance and regulation, health research, human resources development, health education and
training, service delivery and financing. The health information system provides the underpinnings
tor decision-making and has four keys:
➢ Data generation
➢ Compilation
➢ Analysis and synthesis
➢ Communication and use.
The health information system collects data from health and other relevant sectors, analyses the
data and ensures their overall quality, relevance and timeliness, and converts the data into
information for health-related decision-making

4. Access to Essential Medicine

According to the WHO framework for health systems, a well-functioning health system ensures
equitable access to essential medical products, vaccines and technologies of assured quality, safety,
efficacy and cost-effectiveness, and their scientifically sound and cost-effective use. To achieve
these objectives, the following are needed:
➢ National policies, standards, guidelines and regulations that support policy
➢ Information on prices, the status of international trade agreements and the capacity to Set and
negotiate prices
➢ Reliable manufacturing practices when they exist in-country and quality assessment of
priority products

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 ➢ Procurement, supply and storage, and distribution systems that minimize leakage and other
waste
➢ Support tor rational use of medicines, commodities and equipment, through guidelines and
strategies to assure adherence, reduce resistance, maximize patient safety and training:
Monitoring access to essential medicines is closely intertwined with at least two other building
blocks which are; service delivery and governance.
Access to medicines is included in the Millennium Development Goals under MDG 8, and
specifically Target 8.E: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to
affordable essential drugs in developing countries. Access has been defined as "having medicines
continuously available and affordable at public or private health facilities or medicine outlets that
are within one hour's walk of the population'". Given its complexity, an overall picture of access
to medicines can only be generated using a range of indicators that provide data on medicine
availability and price, in both public and private sectors, in combination with key policy indicators

5. Health system Financing

Health financing refers to the "function of a health system concerned with the mobilization,
accumulation and allocation of money to cover the health needs of the people, individually and
collectively, in the health system... the purpose of health financing is to make funding available,
as well as to set the right financial incentives to providers, to ensure that all individuals have access
to effective public health and personal health care
Health financing is fundamental to the ability of health systems to maintain and improve human
welfare. At the extreme, without the necessary funds no health workers would be employed, no
medicines would be available and no health promotion or prevention would take place. The
financing system is often divided conceptually into three inter-related functions and these are:
a. Revenue collection,
b. Fund pooling
c. Purchasing/provision of services

6. Leadership and governance

Governance in health is being increasingly regarded as a salient theme on the development agenda.
Leadership and governance in building a health system involve ensuring that strategic policy
frameworks exist and are combined with effective oversight, coalition-building, regulation,
attention to system design and accountability. The need for greater accountability arises both from
increased funding and a growing demand to demonstrate results. Accountability 1s therefore an
Intrinsic aspect of governance that concerns the management of relationships between various
Stakeholders in health, including individuals, households, communities, firms, governments,
nongovernmental organizations, private firms and other entities that have the responsibility to
finance, monitor, deliver and use health services

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UNIT 2: PHARMACY AS A PROFESSION
There has been much debate over what defines a profession. The development of this debate 1
summarized below.
➢ Professions are essential to the maintenance of the social order; an important stabilizing force
(Parsons 1939)

➢ Professions possess a statutory license to perform certain actions (Hughes 1953)

➢ Professions possess characteristic traits (Goode 1960)

➢ Professions are self-regulating (Friedson 1970)

➢ Professions need to promote an esoteric or indeterminate Knowledge in order to attract social

and economic rewards within a free market (Jamous and Pelloille 1970; Johnson 1972;
Larson. Professions have particular relations with both the state and the Public (Ritzer 1975;
Weber 1978)

➢ Occupations aspiring to be a profession undergo a 'professional project

Until the 1970s, professions were conceptualized as privileged occupations within Capitalist
societies, uniquely characterized by a commitment to a universal standard of Service which was
delivered in a neutral and non-profit motivated way. At this time analyses of professions is centered
on identifying and listing attributes specific to professions (Goode 1960).
Profession and the Process of Professionalism can be described by looking at the following:
a. Sociological approaches to professionalism
b. The core features of a profession

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO PROFESSIONALISM

Three approaches exist and these are;
1. Traits and attributes approach
➢ A profession determines its own standards of education and training

➢ The student professional undergoes an extensive training and socialization process

➢ Professional practice is legally recognized by some form of licensure

➢ Licensing and admission boards are run by members of the profession

➢ Most legislation which affects a profession is shaped by that profession

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 ➢ A profession commands high income, power and status and can demand high caliber
students

➢ The professional is relatively free from lay evaluation he norms of practice enforced by the
profession are often more stringent than legal controls

➢ A profession is likely to remain a life-time occupation

2. Functionalist Approach
➢ According to functionalist approach, profession have achieved their importance or status
in society which are vital to the working modern industrial society

➢ Functionalist approach views a society as an organism in which all parts functions in a way
that ensures the continued well-being of the whole organism much like the human body

➢ Therefore, complex industrial society need expert knowledge and professions performs the
function by applying expert knowledge for the benefit of the community

3. Unified approach
➢ From the traits and attribute and the functionalist approach, professionals fulfill important
or vital societal function

THE CORE FEATURES OF A PROFESSION

1. Specialized knowledge and lengthen of training
2. Service orientation
3. Monopoly of practice
4. Self-regulatory

Significant changes in national health care systems worldwide are fueling the critical examination
of how health professionals are educated and trained, what they learn and how they learn it. It is
essential that all health professionals are appropriately and adequately prepared to support a global
policy framework for health.
Recent interest in pharmacy as a focal point for a global health policy framework stems from
WHO's Consultative Group in New Delhi (1988) and Tokyo Meting (1993); and recent WHO
collaboration with the work of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the International
Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF) and others. These efforts have been further pursued
and supported via regional and national efforts. Sufficient background information exists to
provide guidance to pharmaceutical educators regarding the preparation of students for
contemporary and future careers.

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Second, the consultancy agreed that contemporary and future pharmacists must possess specific
knowledge attitudes, skills and behaviors in support of their roles. They should be considered
essential, minimum, common expectations of national health care systems worldwide. The
consultancy summarized these roles in "the seven-star pharmacist'

THE SEVEN-STAR PHARMACIST

1. Care-giver
The pharmacist provides caring services. Whether these services are clinical, analytical,
physiological or regulatory, the pharmacist must be comfortable interacting with individuals and
populations. The pharmacist must view his or her practice as integrated and continuous with those
of the health care system and other pharmacists. Services must be of the highest quality.

2. Decision-maker
The appropriate, efficacious and cost-effective use of resources (e-g, personnel, medicines,
chemicals, equipment, procedures, and practices) should be at the foundation of the pharmacist's
work. Achieving this goal requires the ability to evaluate, synthesize and decide upon the most
appropriate course of action.

3. Communicator
The pharmacist is in an ideal position between physician and patient. As such, he or she must be
knowledgeable and confident while interacting with other health professionals and the public.
Communication involves verbal, non-verbal, listening and writing skills.

4. Leader
Whether the pharmacist finds him/herself in multidisciplinary (e.g., team) caring situations or in
areas where other health care providers are in short supply or non-existent, he/she is obligated to
assume a leadership position in the overall welfare of the community. Leadership involves
compassion and empathy as well as the ability to make decisions, communicate, and manage
effectively.

5. Manager
The pharmacist must effectively manage resources (human, physical and fiscal) and information;
he or she must also be comfortable being managed by others, whether an employer or the
manager/leader of a health care team. More and more, information and its related technology will

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provide challenges to the pharmacist as he/she assumes greater responsibility for sharing
information about medicines and related products.

6. Life-long-learner
It is no longer possible to learn all one must learn in school in order to practice a career as a
pharmacist. The concepts, principles and commitment to life-long learning must begin while
attending pharmacy school and must be supported throughout the pharmacist's career. Pharmacists
should learn how to learn.

7. Teacher
The pharmacist has a responsibility to assist with the education and training of future generations
of pharmacists. Participating as a teacher not only imparts knowledge to others, it offers an
opportunity for the practitioner to gain new knowledge and to fine-tune existing skills.

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UNIT 3: APPLYING COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Primary health care
Primary health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially
acceptable method and technology made universally accessible to individual and families in the
community through their full participation at the cost that the community and country can afford
at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and determination.
The primary health care concept was adopted at the Alma-Ata conference in 1978.The health of
the nation was perceived to be unacceptable, particularly in developing countries.
Health is a fundamental human right and therefore the PHC approach was adopted to bridge the
gap between the poor and the rich in terms of access to health in order to achieve a more equitable
distribution of health resources and attain a level of health for all the citizens of the world that will
permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life.
PHC forms an integral part both of the country's health care system of which it is the central
function and main focus and of overall social and economic development of the community.
It is the first level of contact of individuals, the families and the community with the national health
system, bringing health care as close to where people live and work and constitutes the first
element of the continuing healthcare process.

Basic Principles of Primary Health Care.

1. Universal accessibility and coverage on the basis of need.
2. Community and individual involvement and self-reliance.
3. Inter-sectoral action for health
4. Appropriate technology and cost-effectiveness in relation to available resources.

1. Universal accessibility and coverage on the basis of need

The fundamental aim of PHC is to provide adequate coverage of the most important needs of the
Populations. It involves re-allocating of resources to those who need it most. It is therefore based
on equity as a value and the need to make essential resources for promoting health available to
all, Accessibility implies the continuing and organized supply of care that is geographically,
Financially, culturally and functionally within reach of the whole community.
Barriers to access include geographical distance from health services, cost and other cultural
barriers.
2. Community and individual in involvement and self-reliance
This includes decentralization of decision making and promoting local responsibility and initiative.
The community must be key actors in the process.

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The PHC approach empowers people and communities for greater self-reliance and more active
and responsible involvement in improving their own health. Therefore, communities should
participate in the following.
Community involvement
➢ Creating and preserving health activities.
➢ Maintaining preventive and Promotive health activities
➢ Sharing information about their needs and wants with higher authorities.
➢ Implementing health care priorities and managing clinics and hospitals

3. Inter-sectoral action for health

Another practical approach to PHC 1s that the health care system must be able to coordinate its
actions with other sectors at the appropriate level.
The PHC approach involves making health goals a high priority in the overall development
process.
The commitment of all sectors will increase if the purpose for joint action and the role of the sector
is made clear to all concerned. These will include education, agriculture and industrial activities,
housing, mass media etc.

4. Appropriate technology and cost-effectiveness in relation to available resources

The word technology means an association of methods, techniques, and equipment which together
with the people using them, can contribute significantly to solving a health problem.
Care givers should be trained to deliver services using the appropriate and cost-effective
methods and equipment for their level of care
This implies efficiency in the use of resources and that the tasks given to personnel should be
delegated in such a way that most problems are handled by a least trained person capable of
handling them.

PHC APPROACH
1. Improve stake holder’s participation
2. Increase problem assessment capacities
3. Develops local leadership
4. Improve resource mobilization
5. Strengthens links to other organizations and people
6. Creating an equitable relationship with outside agents
7. Enhancing stakeholder’s ability to ask why

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COMPONENTS OF PHC
The services provided at PHC level varies according to different locations but will include at least
the following.
1. Water and sanitation
2. Food and nutrition
3. Provision of essential drugs
4. Mother to child health and family planning
5. Health education about preventive/control of important disease
6. Treatment of common diseases and injuries

THE FOCUS OF PHC

Primary health care requires a comprehensive focus that is based on the following intervention.
1. Promotive- addresses the basic causes of ill health at community level
2. Preventive-reduces the incidence of disease by addressing the immediate and underlying
causes at individual level
3. Rehabilitative-reduces the long-term effects or complications of a health problem
4. Curative-reduces the prevalence of disease by stopping the progression of disease among
the community members.

THE FUNCTIONAL LEVELS OF PHC

Primary health care is the hub of the health system. Around it are other levels of the system whose
action converges on PHC in order to support it and permit it to provide essential health care on a
continuing basis.
Comprehensive PHC combines facility-based health services (Curative and Rehabilitative) with
multi-sectoral public health interventions (Promotive and Preventive). This approach should
therefore be supported by the community.

PYRAMID OF PHC
a. District Hospital
Emergency, curative, rehabilitative care
b. 1 level health care
Treatment of common illnesses/injury, referral, child health
c. Community

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d. Appropriate facilities/screening, referral, immunizations, safe delivery food, water, sanitation,
shelter
e. Home/Individual
Food, water, infant feeding practices, sanitation, health education.

ROLE OF COMMUNITY IN PHC

1. The involvement of the community is essential in achieving the objectives of PHC. They
understand their health needs better and therefore should be involved in planning, resource
mobilization, management and sustainability of health programs.
2. The communities’ function through neighborhood health committees (NHC's). Community
involvement through NHC influences community participation and decision making. The
functional units of the communities are the Community health workers (CHWs), Traditional
Birth Attendants (TBAs).

EXPECTED BENEFITS OF A WELL-FUNCTIONING DISTRICT HEALTH SYSTEM

INCLUDE:
A rational and unified health system that meets the basic health needs
1. Flexible management of health services, with minimum logistics and administrative delays
2. More equitable health services to the entire population
3. Improved management of resources
4. Coordination and integration of health care with activities of other sections
5. A means for facilitating community participation and accountability
6. Better performance through an efficient and motivated workforce

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UNIT 4: PUBLIC HEALTH
C.E.A. Winslow. 1920. The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and, promoting
physical and mental health and efficiency through organized community efforts. C.E.A.
Winslow's Core Functions
➢ Sanitation of the environment
➢ Control of community infections
➢ Education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene
➢ Organization of medical and nursing service for early diagnosis and preventive treatment
of disease
➢ Development of the social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the
community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health

Core Public Health functions

1. Assessment-Surveillance of disease/injury monitoring trends, analyzing causes; and
identifying needs
2. Policy Development-broad community involvement; promote scientific basis of decision-
making; strategic approach; development of comprehensive public health policies
3. Assurance
a. Seeing to the implementation of legislative mandates as well as fulfilling statutory
b. Responsibilities encourage, require and provide necessary services
c. Guarantee high priority personal and community-wide health services, including
subsidization for those unable to afford them

Principles of public health

1. Comprehensive view of health.
2. Population Perspective
3. Socio-Ecological approach
4. Focus on prevention
5. Interdisciplinary approach
6. Inter-sectoral approach
7. Focuses on the determinants of health

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UNIT 5: HEALTH PROMOTION
Health promotion has been defined by the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2005 as "the
process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby
improve their health'. The primary means of health promotion occur through developing healthy
public policy that addresses the prerequisites of health such as income, housing, food security,
employment, and quality working conditions

LET'S LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

What does health mean to you?
➢ Health comes from Latin word hale meaning whole.
➢ More complex and elusive to define.
➢ Wide range of meanings.
➢ Need to clarify everyone's view.

CONCEPTS OF HEALTH
No single definition of the concept of health.
➢ Health is increasingly defined as a social construct.
➢ Disease: uneasiness or discomfort
➢ Illness: causing harm or pain.
➢ Ill health: experience of disease + illness.
➢ Subjective Vs Objective?

DEFINITION OF HEALTH
Western medical model
➢ Dominant model
➢ Views the body as a machine
➢ Does not acknowledge social cause of disease.
➢ This view is curative.
➢ Negative sense of health - absence of disease.
➢ Monitored by data on disease incidence and death rates.

Holistic Model of Health: WHO Definition.

➢ Health is not merely the absence of disease but a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being (WHO, 1964).

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 ➢ Derived from the Holistic model.
➢ Health is viewed in positive terms with acknowledgement of the negative sense.

The Wellness model.

➢ Developed through the WHO health promotion initiative
➢ Move away from "state to view health as a "process or a force”
➢ Health is the extent to which an individual or group is able to realize aspirations and
satisfy needs and change or cope with the environment. Health is the resource for
everyday life, not the objective of living: it is a positive concept, emphasizing social and
personal resources, as well as physical capacities." (WH0, 1984)

Salutogenesis and quality of Life

➢ Aaron Antonov sky father of Salutogenesis.
➢ In contrast to the medial term pathogenesis Salutogenesis focuses on factors supporting
health.
➢ A theory to guide health promotion.
➢ "Health is not a condition that one introspectively feels in oneself. Rather, it is a condition
of being involved, of being in the world, of being together with one's fellow human
beings, of active and rewarding engagement in one's everyday tasks"

Pre-requisite for health

➢ Peace
➢ Shelter
➢ Education
➢ Food
➢ Income
➢ A stable eco-system
➢ Sustainable resources
➢ Social justice and equity

Strategies for health promotion

➢ Building healthy public policy
➢ Creation of supportive environments
➢ Strengthening community action.
➢ Developing personal skills.
➢ Reorienting health services

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Equity in health
➢ Equity in health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to amain their
full health potential and, more pragmatically, that none should be disadvantaged from
achieving this potential, if it can be avoided
➢ Equity is therefore concerned with creating equal opportunities for health and with
bringing health differentials down to the lowest level possible

Health inequalities
➢ Basic concept describing the opposite of equity
➢ Social inequalities are seen to be the drivers of health inequalities
➢ Most disease burden is seen among the world’s poor and yet access to healthcare is mostly
by the rich.

Tackling inequalities in health

➢ Strengthening individuals.
➢ Strengthening communities.
➢ Improving access to health facilities and services
➢ Encouraging a Healthy public policy.
Diversity in concepts of health, determinants of health and ways of measuring health gives rise to
the different approaches to health promotion.
➢ Approaches are not a guide to action
➢ They reflect different ways of working
➢ The best approach varies.
➢ ln practice approaches are mixed

Best Practices When Developing a Health Promotion Program

1. Capture senior-level support. A commitment from the top is critical to the success of any
health promotion initiative. Management must understand the benefits of the program for both
the employees and the organization and be willing to put funds towards its development,
implementation and evaluation. Descriptions of what competitors are doing in the way of
wellness programs and even linking wellness goals to business goals, values and strategic
priorities will help to secure senior management support. Managers who take part in the
initiatives and activities will go a long way to driving others to participate as well.

2. Create a health promotion team. All teams should include a cross-section of potential
program participants including employees. Your team should include individuals who will
have a role in program development, implementation and evaluation. This ensures broad

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 ownership of the program and more innovative ideas. A team-based approach will help both
management and the participants, develop a program that is responsive to the needs of all
potential participants, and will be responsible for overseeing all of the company's wellness
efforts.

3. Collect data that will drive your health promotion initiatives. Once your team is in place
and management is on board, it is time to gather baseline data to help assess employee health
interests and risks. The results of your data collection will guide you in what kind of health
programs to offer. This process may involve a survey of employee interest in various health
initiatives, health risk assessments, and claims analysis to determine current employee disease
risk.

4. Craft an annual health promotion operating plan. For your health promotion program to
Succeed, you must have a plan. An annual health promotion operating plan should include aa
mission statement lor the program along with specific, measurable short-and long-term goals
and objectives. Your program is more likely to be successful if it is linked to one or more of
the company's strategic initiatives, as it will have a better chance of maintaining the support of
management throughout the implementation process. A written wellness plan also provides
continuity when members of the health promotion committee change and is instrumental in
holding the team accountable to the goals, objectives, and timeline agreed upon.

5. Choose appropriate health promotion initiatives. 1hne health promotion initiatives that you
choose should flow naturally from your data (survey, aggregate report, claims) to goals and
objectives. They should address prevailing risk factors in your employee population and be in
line with what both management and employees want from the programs and/or initiatives

6. Create a supportive environment. A supportive environment provides employees with

encouragement, opportunity, and rewards. A culture of health that supports worksite health
promotion might have such features as healthy food choices in their vending machines, a no-
Smoking policy and flexible work schedules that allow workers to exercise. A workplace that
values health will celebrate and reward health achievements and have a management team that
models healthy behavior. Most importantly, a culture of health involves employees in every
aspect of the wellness program from their design and promotion to their implementation and
evaluation.

7. Consistently evaluate your health promotion outcomes. Evaluation involves taking a close
look at your goals and objectives and determining whether you achieved your desired result.
Evaluation allows you celebrate goals that have been achieved and to discontinue or change
ineffective programs and/or initiatives.

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UNIT 6: HEALTH EDUCATION
The Joint Committee on Health Education and Promotion Terminology of 2001 defined Health
Education as "any combination of planned learning experiences based on sound theories that
provide individuals, groups, and communities the opportunity to acquire information and the skills
needed to make quality health decisions.' The World Health Organization defined Health
Education as comprising of consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some
form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including improving knowledge, and
developing life skills which are conducive to individual and community health'.
The Role of the Health Educator
A health educator is "a professionally prepared individual who serves in a variety of roles and is
specifically trained to use appropriate educational strategies and methods to facilitate the
development of policies, procedures, interventions, and systems conducive to the health of
individuals, groups, and communities (Joint Committee on Terminology, 2001, p. 100). In January
1978 the Role Delineation Project was put into place, in order to define the basic roles and
responsibilities for the health educator.
Responsibility Areas of a health educator

1. Assess Needs, Resources, and Capacity for Health Education/Promotion

When working to improve the health of a community, the first step is to assess the health needs of
that community. You will look for areas where health is suffering due to a lack of health knowledge
and/or poor practices. Then, you will assess the availability of resources with which to better
educate the community. Are there proven programs or methods that can help you? Once you’ve
made these assessments, the final step is to determine what modes of communication will work
best for your community. For instance, if you’re dealing with a community where illiteracy is an
issue, you’ll need to communicate in ways that do not require reading, such as by using visual aids.

2. Plan Health Education/Promotion

Once you have identified the health needs of your community and how best to communicate health
knowledge, you have to put together a plan. You’ll want to consider budgets, the attitudes of
stakeholders, timelines, government regulations, and overall feasibility. Your goal is to overcome
existing obstacles to reach as many people in your community as possible.

3. Implement Health Education/Promotion

After putting in the work to develop a strong program, you can then go out into your community
and provide the education the community needs to improve its overall health and address health-
related needs of the community. This phase can be highly rewarding as you will develop
practitioner skills by working with various populations and applying behavior change principles.
Monitoring program effectiveness and managing its execution are required tools to implement a
successful health promotion intervention and/or program.

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4. Conduct Evaluation and Research Related to Health Education/Promotion

As a health educator, your responsibilities extend beyond the implementation of a health education
or promotion program. You must also be able to evaluate your program as well as any other
programs, projects, or policies you’re involved in. This means you must understand proper
evaluation methodology and have realistic, measurable objectives. You can use tests, surveys,
observation, medical data, and other facts and figures to conduct an evaluation. Once the
evaluation is complete, you are expected to share the results with the wider heath education and
promotion community to help improve future efforts.

5. Administer and Manage Health Education/Promotion

If you’ve developed a health education or promotion program, it’s likely you will be running that
program. That’s why health educators must be good managers, capable of performing
administrative tasks, supervising staff, and working with community stakeholders.

6. Serve as a Health Education/Promotion Resource Person

As a health educator, you’re expected to make yourself available to answer community health
questions and help that community understand and address health concerns. As such, you need to
know where to find accurate health information, how to assess the appropriateness of that
information for your community, and how to successfully communicate that information.

7. Communicate, Promote, and Advocate for Health, Health Education/Promotion, and the
Profession

Not everyone understands the importance of health educators or the role they can play in improving
local, national, and global health. As a health educator, you have the responsibility to support and
promote the profession to others and to work with those in your profession to maintain standards
and achieve health education and promotion goals.

Motivation
Education for health begins with people. It hopes to motivate them with whatever interests they
may have in improving their living conditions. Its aim is to develop in them a sense of
responsibility for health conditions for themselves as individuals, as members of families, and as
communities. In communicable discase control, health education commonly includes an appraisal
of what is known by a population about a disease, an assessment of habits and attitudes of the
people as they relate to spread and frequency of the disease, and the presentation of specific means
to remedy observed deficiencies.
Health education is also an effective tool that heaps improve health in developing nations. It not
only teaches prevention and basic health knowledge but also conditions ideas that re-shape
everyday habits of people with unhealthy lifestyles in developing countries This type of
conditioning not only affects the immediate recipients of such education but also future generations
will benefit from an improved and properly cultivated ideas about health that will eventually be
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ingrained with widely spread health education. Moreover, besides physical health prevention,
health education can also provide more ad and help people deal healthier with situations of extreme
stress, anxiety, depression or other emotional disturbances to lessen the impact of these Sorts of
mental and emotional constituents, which can consequently lead to detrimental physical effects.

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UNIT 7: HEALTH EDUCATION CODE OF ETHIES FULL TEXT
PREAMBLE The Health Education profession is dedicated to excellence in the practice of
promoting individual, family, organizational, and community health. The Code of Ethics provides
a framework of shared values within which Health Education is practiced. The responsibility of
each Health Educator is to aspire to the highest possible standards of conduct and to encourage the
ethical behavior of all those with whom they work.
a. Responsibility to the Public
Health Educator's ultimate responsibility is to educate people for the purpose of promoting,
maintaining, and improving individual, family, and community health. When a conflict of issues
arises among individuals, groups, organizations, agencies, or institutions, health educators must
consider all issues and give priority to those that promote wellness and quality of living through
principles of self-determination and freedom of choice for the individual.
b. Responsibility to the Profession
Health Educators are responsible for their professional behavior, for the reputation of their
profession, and for promoting ethical conduct among their colleagues.
c. Responsibility to Employers
Health Educators recognize the boundaries of their professional competence and are accountable
for their professional activities and actions.
d. Responsibility in the Delivery of Health Education
Health Educators promote integrity in the delivery of health education. They respect the rights,
dignity, confidentiality, and worth of all people by adapting strategies and methods to the needs of
diverse populations and communities.
e. Responsibility in Research and Evaluation
Health Educators contribute to the health of the population and to the profession through research
and evaluation activities. When planning and conducting research or evaluation, health educators
do so in accordance with laws and regulations, organizational and institutional policies, and
professional standards.
f. Responsibility in Professional Preparation
Those involved in the preparation and training of Health Educators have an obligation to accord
learners the same respect and treatment given other groups by providing quality education that
benefits the profession and the public.

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HEALTH EDUCATION CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The terms Public Health Educator, Community Health Educator or Health Educator are all used
interchangeable to describe an individual who plans implements and evaluates health education
and promotion programs. These individuals play a crucial role in many organizations in various
settings to improve our nation's health. Just as a Community health educator work toward
Population health. A community health educator is typically focused on their immediate
community striving to serve the public.
a. Health Care Settings:
these include hospitals (for-profit and public), medical care clinics, and home health agencies.
Here, a health educator teaches employees how to be healthy. Patient education positions are far
and few between because insurance companies do not cover the costs.

b. Public Health Agencies:

are official, tax funded, and government agencies. They provide police protection, educational
systems, as well as clean air and water. Public health departments provide health services and are
organized by a city, country, state, or federal government.

c. School Health Education:

Involves all strategies, activities, and services offered by, in, or in association with schools that are
designed to promote students' physical, emotional, and social development. School health involves
teaching students about health and health related behaviors. Curriculum and programs are based
on the school’s expectations and health.

d. Non-Profit Voluntary Health Agencies:

Are created by concerned citizens to deal with health needs not met by governmental agencies.
Missions include public education, professional education. patient education, research, direct
services and support to or for people directly affected by a specific health or medical problem.
Usually funded by such means as private donations, grants, and fund-raisers.

e. Higher Education:
Typically, two types of positions health educators hold including academic, or faculty or health
educator in a student health service or wellness center. As a faculty member, the health educator
typically has three major responsibilities: teaching, community and professional service, and
scholarly research. As a health educator in a university health service or wellness center, the major
responsibility is to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion and education programs for
program participants.

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f. Work site Health Promotion:
Is a combination of educational, organizational and environmental activities designed to improve
the health and safety of employees and their families. These work site wellness programs offer an
additional setting for health educators and allow them to reach segments of the population that are
not easily reached through traditional community health programs. Some work site health
promotion activities include; smoking cessation, stress management, bulletin boards, newsletters,
and much more.

g. Independent Consulting and Government Contracting:

International, national, regional, sate, and local organizations contract with independent
consultants for many reasons. They may be hired to assess individual and community needs for
health education; plan, implement, administer and evaluate health education strategies; conduct
research; serve as health education resource person; and or communicate about and advocate for
health and health education.

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UNIT 8: NATIONAL DRUG POLICY
a. Vision of the National Drug Policy:
“The Government is committed to the provision of equity of access for all Zambians to good
quality, safe and efficacious drugs (medicines) which are affordable and rationally used as close
to the family as possible"
It is guided by policy statements which are statements of intent which provide its direction.

b. Drug Legislation and Regulation:

To develop pharmaceutical legislation and regulation which shall effectively control the
importation, manufacture, storage, distribution and supply of medicines and allied products and
practice of pharmacy and ensure the effective enforcement of such legislation and regulations.
Drug Legislation shall be appropriately developed and regularly updated to effectively
facilitate the implementation of the NDP and to be relevant to drug practices.

c. Quality Assurance:
To ensure that the consumer has access to quality assured pharmaceuticals and related products in
Zambia.
➢ Registration and licensing
➢ Compliance with aspects of quality assurance at all levels of the supply chain
➢ Pre-registration training
➢ National drug quality control laboratory
➢ Control of traditional medicines
➢ Drug donations

d. Financing/Procurement/Storage/Distribution:
The government is committed to the provision of sufficient funding for good quality essential
drugs which are professionally, efficiently and cost effectively procured, stored and distributed as
close to the family as possible.
➢ Financing
➢ Procurement

e. Local production of pharmaceuticals:

The vision of local production of pharmaceuticals is to be an integral part of the NDP by providing
good quality, safe and efficacious drugs which are affordable and to contribute to the country's
economic growth and balance of payment

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 ➢ Tarif system
➢ Industrial policy
➢ Registration process in COMESA
➢ Government and donor funds for drugs
➢ Tendering system (20%)
➢ Essential drug list/National Formulary

f. Rational Drug use:

To achieve good prescribing, dispensing and compliance in all treatments at the lowest possible
cost.
Rational drug use shall be addressed in three ways:
➢ Through regulation
➢ Better management
➢ Through education
These interventions shall deal with the root causes of inappropriate use and change attitudes
in the community as well as in practitioners in health facilities
g. Drug selection
The vision of this theme is to support the aims of the NDP. In particular it is envisioned that the
selection process shall use a bottom-up approach and the basic principle namely efficacy, safety,
quality and cost to develop drug list for most common diseases and conditions prevalent in
different parts of Zambia. All drugs in the drug list shall be selected by their generic names.
Znf and EDL
h. Human Resource Development
To provide well-motivated personnel working in a conducive environment in which the
appropriate competencies are available in the right place at the right time, providing equity of
access to sate, cost effective and good quality drugs (medicines) which are rationally used as close
to the family as possible.
i. Research and Development
The government is committed to the support of Research and Development activities which
contribute to fulfilling the MOH's goal for health and National Drug Policy
➢ Academic research
➢ Operational research
➢ Drug research and development
➢ Clinical trials
➢ Dissemination of research findings

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j. Traditional Medicines
The government is committed to the provision of policy guidelines to make traditional medicines
an integral part of the health care say stem in Zambia with explicit roles between the two
disciplines (tradition medicines and biomedicine) all allopathic medicine and to promote research
and development and rational use of traditional medicines in Zambia The government shall be
committed to enacting laws and developing regulations which shall support and promote rational
and sate use of traditional medicines at all levels of the health care delivery system and as close to
the household as possible when appropriate

k. International Cooperation
The government and donors would like to maintain the long-standing cooperation and exchange
of mutual experience to enable Zambia be economically independent and accelerate development.
MoH responsible
Regional cooperation encouraged

NATIONAL FORMULARY
Definition
A national formulary contains a list of medicines that are approved for prescription throughout the
country, indicating which products are interchangeable. It includes key information on the
composition. description, selection. prescribing. dispensing and administration of medicines Those
drugs considered less suitable for prescribing are clearly identified.
E.g., BNF, BNFC, ZNF

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UNIT 9: CODE OF ETHICS FOR PHARMACISTS
PREAMBLE
Pharmacists are health professionals who assist individuals in making the best use of medications
This Code, prepared and supported by pharmacists, is intended to state publicly the principles that
form the fundamental basis of the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists. These principles, based
on moral obligations and virtues, are established to guide pharmacists in relationships with
patients, health professionals, and society.
1. A pharmacist respects the covenantal relationship between the patient and pharmacist.
Considering the patient-pharmacist relationship as a covenant means that a pharmacist has moral
obligations in response to the gift of trust received from society. In return for this gift, a pharmacist
promises to help individuals achieve optimum benefit from their medications, to be committed to
their welfare, and to maintain their trust.

2. A pharmacist promotes the good of every patient in a caring, compassionate, and

confidential manner.
A pharmacist places concern for the well-being of the patient at the center of professional practice.
In doing so, a pharmacist considers needs stated by the patient as well as those defined by health
science. A pharmacist is dedicated to protecting the dignity of the patient. With a caring attitude
and a compassionate spirit, a pharmacist focuses on serving the patient in a private and confidential
manner.

3. pharmacist respects the autonomy and dignity of each patient.

A pharmacist promotes the right of self-determination and recognizes individual self-worth by
encouraging patients to participate in decisions about their health. A pharmacist communicates
with patients in terms that are understandable. In all cases, a pharmacist respects personal and
cultural differences among patients.

4. A pharmacist acts with honesty and integrity in professional relationships.

A pharmacist has a duty to tell the truth and to act with conviction of conscience. A pharmacist
avoids discriminatory practices, behavior or work conditions that impair professional judgment,
and actions that compromise dedication to the best interests of patients
5. A pharmacist maintains professional competence.
A pharmacist has a duty to maintain knowledge and abilities as new medications, devices, and
technologies become available and as health information advances.

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6. A pharmacist respects the values and abilities of colleagues and other health
professionals,
When appropriate, a pharmacist asks for the consultation of colleagues or other health
professionals or refers the patient. A pharmacist acknowledges that colleagues and other health
professionals may differ in the beliefs and values they apply to the care of the patient.

7. A pharmacist serves individual, community, and societal needs.

The primary obligation of a pharmacist is to individual patients. However, the obligations of a
pharmacist may at times extend beyond the individual to the community and society. In these
situations, the pharmacist recognizes the responsibilities that accompany these obligations and acts
accordingly.

8. A pharmacist seeks justice in the distribution of health resources.

When health resources are allocated, a pharmacist is fair and equitable, balancing the needs of
patients and society.
*adopted by the membership of the American Pharmacists Association October 27, 1994.

REGISTRATION FOR PRACTICE

Registration as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician carries obligations as well as Privileges. It
requires you to:
➢ develop and use your professional knowledge and skills for the benefit of those who seek
your professional services,
➢ Maintain good professional relationships with others, and
➢ Act in a way that promotes confidence and trust in the pharmacy professions.
The Code of Ethics sets out the principles that you must follow as a pharmacist or pharmacy
technician
The Code of ethics is the Society's core guidance on the conduct, practice and professional
performance expected of you.
➢ The principles of the Code are intended to guide and support the work you do and the
decisions you make
➢ They also inform the general public of the standards of behavior that can be expected from
the pharmacy professions.
➢ The Code underpins all other standards and guidance we issue.

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Status of the Code of Ethics
The principles of the Code of Ethics are mandatory. As a registered pharmacist or pharmacy
technician your professional and personal conduct will be judged against the Code. You must abide
by its principles irrespective of the job you do.
Disreputable behavior, even if it is not directly connected to your professional practice, or failure
to comply with the principles identified in the Code could put your registration at risk. The
Society's fitness to practice committees will take account of the Code in considering cases that
come before them but are not limited solely to the matters mentioned in it. They will consider the
circumstances of an individual case when deciding whether or not action should follow.

APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES

Pharmacists have overall responsibility for the provision of pharmaceutical services. Pharmacy
technicians undertake work to support, develop or provide these services. Every registered
pharmacy professional is responsible for their own actions.
It is your responsibility as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician to apply the principles of the Code
of Ethics to your daily work, whether or not you routinely treat or care for patients. You must be
able to show that you are aware of the Code and have followed the principles it lays down.
You are professionally accountable for your practice. This means that you are answerable for your
acts and omissions, regardless of advice or directions from your manager or another professional.
You are expected to use your professional judgement in the light of the principles of the Code and
Users of pharmaceutical services include patients, customers and clients. The Code uses the term
patient(s) to encompass any individuals or groups who access or are affected by your professional
pharmacy services or advice. if you offer veterinary pharmacy services, the term patient also
extends to the animals you provide services for.
The work of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians takes many different forms and accordingly
not all of the principles will be applicable to every situation you find yourself! in. The seven
principles are of equal importance.
From time to time, you may be faced with conflicting professional obligations or legal
requirements. In these circumstances you must consider fully the options available to you, evaluate
the risks and benefits associated with possible courses of action and determine what is most
appropriate in the interests of patients and the public.

MAKE THE CARE OF PATIENTS YOUR FIRST CONCERN

The care, well-being and safety of patients are at the Centre of everyday professional practice hey
must be your primary and continuing concern when practicing, irrespective of your field of work.

29
Even if you do not have direct contact with patients your actions or behavior can still impact on
their care or safety. You must:
1. Provide a proper standard of practice and care to those for whom you provide professional
services.

2. Take steps to safeguard the well-being of patients, particularly children and other vulnerable
individuals

3. Promote the health of patients.

4. Seek all relevant information required to assess an individual's needs and provide
appropriate treatment and care. Where necessary, refer patient to other health or social care
professionals or other relevant organizations.

5. Seek to ensure safe and timely access to medicines and take steps to be satisfied of the clinical
appropriateness of medicines supplied to individual patients.

6. Encourage the effective use of medicines and be satisfied that patients, or those who care for
them, know how to use their medicines.

7. Be satisfied as to the integrity and quality of products to be supplied to patients.

8. Maintain timely, accurate and adequate records and include all relevant information in a clear
and legible form.

9. Ensure you have access to the facilities, equipment and materials necessary to provide
services to professionally accepted standards.

10. Undertake regular reviews, audits and risk assessments to improve the quality of services
and minimize risks to patient and public safety.

EXERCISE YOUR PROFESSIONALJUDGEMENT IN THE INTERESTS OF PATIENTS

AND THE PUBLIC
The need to balance the requirements of individuals with society as a whole and manage competing
priorities and obligations is a feature of professional life. Guidelines, targets and financial
constraints need to be taken into account, but they must not be allowed to compromise your ability
to make an informed professional judgement on what is appropriate for patients in specific
Situations. When acting in your professional capacity you must:
1. Consider and act in the best interests of individual patients and the public.

30
 2. Make sure that your professional judgement is not impaired by personal or commercial
interests, incentives, targets or similar measures.

3. Make best use of the resources available to you.

4. Be prepared to challenge the judgement of colleagues and other health or social care
professionals if you have reason to believe that their decisions could compromise the safety
or care of others.

5. Conduct research and development with integrity and obtain any necessary permissions from
the appropriate regulatory authorities

6. In an emergency take appropriate action to provide care and reduce risks to patients and the
public, taking into account your competence and other options for assistance or care
available.

SHOW RESPECT FOR OTHERS

Demonstrating respect for the dignity, views and rights of others is fundamental in forming and
maintaining professionally appropriate relationships with patients, their carers, colleagues and
other individuals with whom you come into contact with. In your professional practice you must:
1. Recognize diversity and respect the cultural differences, values and beliefs of others.

2. Treat others politely and considerately.

3. Make sure your views about a person's lifestyle, beliefs, race, gender, age, sexuality,
disability or other perceived status do not prejudice their treatment or care.

4. Ensure that if your religious or moral beliefs prevent you from providing a particular
professional service, the relevant persons or authorities are informed of this and patients
are referred to alternative providers for the service they require.

5. Respect and protect the dignity and privacy of others. Take all reasonable steps to prevent
accidental disclosure or unauthorized access to confidential information and ensure that
you do not disclose confidential information without consent, apart from where permitted
to do so by the law or in exceptional circumstances.

6. Obtain consent for the professional services, treatment or care you provide and the patient
information you use

7. Use information obtained in the course of professional practice only for the purposes for
which it was given or were otherwise lawful.

31
 8. Take all reasonable steps to ensure appropriate levels of privacy for patient consultations.

9. Maintain proper professional boundaries in the relationships you have with patients and
other individuals that you come into contact with during the course of your professional
practice, taking special care when dealing with vulnerable individuals.

ENCOURAGE PATIENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR CARE

Patients have a right to be involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They should be
encouraged to work in partnership with you and other members of the professional team to manage
their healthcare' needs. Successful partnership working requires effective communication and an
ability to identify the individual needs of patients. Where patients are not legally capable of making
decisions about their care you must seek the authority of persons who are empowered to make
decisions on their behalf. You must:
1. When possible, work in partnership with patients, their careers and other healthcare
professionals to manage the patient' s treatment and care. Explain the options available and
help individuals to make informed decisions about whether they wish to use particular
services or treatment options.

2. Listen to patients and their careers and endeavor to communicate effectively with them.
Ensure that, whenever possible, reasonable steps are taken to meet the particular
communication needs of the patient

3. Take all reasonable steps to share information that patients or their careers want or need in
a way that they can understand, and make sure that the information you provide is impartial,
relevant and up to date.

4. Subject to paragraph 3.5, ensure that information is shared appropriately with other health
and social care professionals involved in the care of the patient.

5. Respect a patient's right to refuse to receive treatment, care or other professional services.

6. Consider and whenever possible take steps to address factors that may prevent or deter
individuals from obtaining or taking their treatment.

7. Ensure that when a patient is not legally competent, any treatment or Care you provide 1s
in accordance with the appropriate legal requirements.

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DEVELOP YOUR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE
At all stages of your professional working life, you must ensure that your knowledge, skills and
performance are of a high quality, up to date and relevant to your field of practice. You must:
1. Maintain and improve the quality of your work by keeping your knowledge and skills up
to date, evidence-based and relevant to your role and responsibilities.

2. Apply your knowledge and skills appropriately to your professional responsibilities.

3. Recognize the limits of your professional competence; practice only in those areas in which
you are competent to do so and refer to others where necessary.

4. Undertake and maintain up-to-date evidence of continuing professional development

relevant to your field of practice.

5. Respond constructively to the outcomes of assessments, appraisals and reviews of your

professional performance and undertake further training where necessary.

6. Practice only if you are fit and competent to do so.

Promptly declare to the Society, your employer and other relevant authorities any circumstances
that may call into question your fitness to practice or bring the pharmacy professions into disrepute,
including ill health that impairs your ability to practice, criminal convictions and findings by other
regulatory bodies or organizations.

BE HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY

Patients, colleagues and the public at large place their trust in you as a pharmacy professional. You
must behave in a way that justifies this trust and maintains the reputation of your profession. You
must.
1. Uphold public trust and confidence in your profession by acting with honesty and integrity.

2. Ensure you do not abuse your professional position or exploit the vulnerability or lack of
knowledge of others.

3. Avoid conflicts of interest and declare any personal or professional interests to those who
may be affected. Do not ask for or accept gifts, inducements, hospitality or referrals that
may affect, or be perceived to affect, your professional judgement.

4. Be accurate and impartial when teaching others and when providing or publishing
information to ensure that you do not mislead others or make claims that cannot be justified.

33
 5. Adhere to accepted standards of personal and professional conduct.

6. Comply with legal requirements, mandatory professional standards and accepted best
practice guidance.

7. Honor commitments, agreements and arrangements for the provision of professional

services.

8. Respond honestly, openly and courteously to complaints and criticism.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR WORKING PRACTICES

Team working is a key feature of every day professional practice and requires respect, co-operation
and communication with colleagues from your own and other professions. When working as part
of a team you remain accountable for your own decisions, behavior and any work done under your
supervision. You must:
1. Communicate and work effectively with colleagues from your own and other professions
and ensure that both you and those you employ or supervise have sufficient language
competence to do this.

2. Contribute to the development, education and training of colleagues and students, sharing
relevant knowledge, skills and expertise.

3. Take responsibility for all work done by you or under your supervision. Ensure that
individuals to whom you delegate tasks are competent and fit to practice and have
undertaken, or are in the process of undertaking, the training required for their duties.

4. Be satisfied that appropriate standard operating procedures exist and are adhered to, and
that clear lines of accountability and verifiable audit trails are in place.

5. Ensure that you are able to comply with your legal and professional obligations and that
your workload or working conditions do not compromise patient care or public safety.

6. Make sure that your actions do not prevent others from complying with their legal and
professional obligations, or present a risk to patient care or public safety.

7. Ensure that all professional activities undertaken by you, or under your control, are covered
by appropriate professional indemnity arrangements.

34
 8. Be satisfied that there is an effective complaints procedure where you work and follow it
at all times.
9. Raise concerns if policies, systems, working conditions, or the actions, professional
Performance or health of others may compromise patient care or public safety. Take
appropriate action if something goes wrong or if others report concerns to you

10. Cooperate with investigations into your or another healthcare professional’s fitness to
practice and abide by undertakings you give or any restrictions placed on your practice

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CODE OF ETHICS FOR PHARMACY PRACTICE

All health practitioners registered under the Health Professions Council of Zambia are expected to
adhere to a professional and ethical code of conduct as prescribed in the Rules issued under the
Health Professions Act of 2009 of the Laws of Zambia.
In addition to this, all practitioners registered with the Council are expected to observe principles
of good medical practice which are:
➢ To make the care of the patient the practitioner's first concern;

➢ To treat every patient politely and considerately:

➢ To respect patient's dignity and privacy:

➢ To listen to patient's and respect their views;

➢ To give patients information in a way they can understand;

➢ To respect the rights of patients to be fully involved in decisions about their care;

➢ To keep his/her professional knowledge and skills up to date;

➢ To recognize the limits of his/her professional competence;

➢ To be honest and trustworthy;

➢ To respect and protect confidential information;

➢ To make sure that his/her personal beliefs do not prejudice his/her patient's care;

➢ To act quickly to protect patients from risk it he/she has good reason to believe that he/she
or a colleague may not be fit to practice;

35
 ➢ To avoid abusing his/her position as a practitioner

➢ To work with colleagues in the ways that best serves patients. Interests.
Failure to meet these standards constitutes professional misconduct and may put the practitioner’s
registration with Council at risk.
The Council upholds the following principles:

➢ Ensure high standards of professional practice among all registered health practitioners,

➢ Enhance sound professional and educational background as a basis for good health
professional practice,

➢ To deal firmly, fairly and timely with health practitioners who failed to maintain ethical or
professional standards or whose fitness to practice was questionable;

➢ Enhance provision of an effective and efficient supervisory role to medical practice in

particular and health practice in general;

➢ Enhance monitoring mechanisms over practitioners and institutions under the regulatory
mandate of the Council;

➢ Promote efficiency in the administration of the registration and licensing systems operated
and managed by the Council.
The Council also exercises registration and licensing controls both over practitioners and health
facilities in line with the provisions of the Law to guarantee quality healthcare delivery
countrywide.

THE END

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