St. Louis College of Pharmacy to Partner with College of Pharmacy in South Africa Training to Help in Fighting AIDS Epidemic Newswise — (St. Louis)- The AIDS epidemic in South Africa has produced a substantial need for health care professionals. To help meet that demand, St. Louis College of Pharmacy has been chosen to assist in the development and expansion of a pharmacy technician training program in South Africa. The College was the only school of pharmacy in the U.S. selected to work in South Africa. On Wednesday, three faculty members will travel to Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth for the first of four visits to establish that program. Later this year, professors from NMMU will visit the College.
“There’s a need for about 2,500 additional pharmacy technicians per year in South Africa,” says Ken Schafermeyer, Ph.D., director of international programs at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. “Pharmacy technicians there practice with limited supervision and are an excellent resource for delivering care for the more than 5 million HIV and AIDS patients in the country.”
The College was selected through a competitive grant process by the American International Health Alliance (AIHA). Funding for the grant was provided by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Africa.
“We are honored to assist Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in building up its capacity to educate pharmacy technicians and strengthening the education students receive there,” Schafermeyer says. “We’ll be sharing the same teaching methods we use at the College, including the importance of giving students practical experience working with patients to improve their health.” Joining Schafermeyer on the trip will be Kimberly Simmons, Pharm.D., M.B.A., assistant vice president of diversity and inclusion, and Amy Tiemeier, Pharm.D., BCPS, director of professional affairs. The two institutions will stay in contact through the year via e-mail and distance learning technology.
“We will also determine how this project may involve students from St. Louis College of Pharmacy,” Schafermeyer says. “The goal of the Office of International Programs is to promote cultural competence, emphasize the importance of a world view, and enable students to think broadly about issues concerning humanity. We feel that this will help us prepare better pharmacists.” Schafermeyer and two St. Louis College of Pharmacy students, Katie Conklen and Belma Muharemovic, worked with the Swaziland Ministry of Health and Management Sciences for Health last summer to help establish a similar pharmacy assistant program at Southern Africa Nazarene University in Manzini, Swaziland.
About St. Louis College of Pharmacy: Founded in 1864, St. Louis College of Pharmacy is the fourth oldest and 10th largest college of pharmacy in America. The College integrates the liberal arts and sciences with a professional curriculum and introductory and advanced practice experiences where students can develop expertise and become leaders in the profession and their communities. Beginning in 2014, the seven-year curriculum leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree will also include a Bachelor of Science degree. The College admits students directly from high school and accepts transfer students and graduates from other colleges and universities. More than 1,250 students are currently enrolled from 30 states and several countries. Additional information is available at www.stlcop.edu.-XXX-
RSS