JAMAICA HAS been selected the official site for the permanent office of the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists (CAP).
The selection positions the country as the regional gateway for information and pharmaceutical services.
According to CAP President, Ellen Campbell-Grizzle, Jamaica was chosen because it presented the best case and defended its bid effectively during the selection process.
"I now look forward to solidifying the agreements that will sustain the regional character of the headquarters," she said.
Rosemarie Bailey, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica, said she was delighted with the decision and suggested it would be a positive medium through which the profession would be enriched regionally.
"Jamaica now has a greater opportunity to further share culturally and professionally with other pharmacists," she added. "The mix augurs well for the advancement of the profession."
The official function to mark the establishment of the regional office in Jamaica and to present regional awards for pharmacy innovation, is to be held on November 22, at Lillian's Restaurant, University of Technology (UTech). UTech won the prestigious regional awards for innovation in pharmacy this year.
The institution pioneered the post diploma modular pharmacy degree programmes which enabled working pharmacists to upgrade to the Bachelor's degree which is the internationally accepted minimum qualification for pharmacists. Sponsors of the awards in this category are CARIMED and Dr. Henry Lowe, president of Eden Gardens, Jamaica, and the Caribbean's first wellness centre.
The event will be sponsored by CARIMED, a pharmaceutical company with a long record of support for the CAP.
The CAP is a 29-year-old organisation that represents pharmacists in the English, French, Spanish and Dutch Caribbean. Its extensive portfolio includes regional negotiations related to harmonisation in keeping with the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), lobbying for educational advancement, consumer watch and support of national associations.
