Southern Gauteng Branch of the PSSA – Year-End Message Lynette Terblanche, Chairperson
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Newsletter of the Southern Gauteng Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa and associated Sectors. Edition 8/November 2017 Southern Gauteng Branch of the PSSA – Year-end message Lynette Terblanche, Chairperson How many acquaintances have recently mentioned to you that they cannot be- lieve that it is almost the end of the year and possibly in addition to this, the fact that they still have so much to do before the year draws to a close? The point is: are we kept busy with meaningful tasks? Are we making a difference in the lives of those around us? Are we making a meaningful contribution to the profession? 2017 certainly has been a year in which we have had to face reality on a number of fronts. As a nation we have had to come to terms with the incredible value of scarce natural resources such as water. Lynette Terblanche As a profession we have been confronted with almost equally challenging issues with potentially significant consequences for the profession. PAGE However we have successfully overcome many of these INDEX challenges. SOUTHERN GAUTENG BRANCH OF PSSA - YEAR END 1 - 2 MESSAGE This leaves me excited about the future of pharmacy in REPORT OF THE ACADEMIC SECTOR OF THE GAUTENG 2 South Africa. PSSA SAACP SG - END OF YEAR MESSAGE 3 We have been confronted with medicine legislation that now includes the regulation of medical devices; National SAAHIP SOUTHERN GAUTENG BRANCH 3 Health Insurance as the vehicle for universal medicine ac- SAAPI 2017 - 2018 MESSAGE 4 cess came a whole lot closer to home; the fight for survival MOZZIES MATTER … MORE THAN YOU THINK 5 - 7 of the independent community pharmacy within the ever restrictive dispensing fee requirements continued…. DESIGNATED SERVICE PROVIDER EXPERIENCE IN 8 - 10 COMMUNITY PHARMACY For many of us these challenges meant that the business A NOVEL MEDICINE TO TREAT TYPE 2 DIABETES 10 model within which we successfully functioned for a num- INFANT FEEDING 11 - 12 ber of years had to adapt to the changing environment to LETTER TO THE EDITOR 13 ensure survival. How we as pharmacists continue to deal FAREWELL TO BARNEY HURWITZ 14 with the ongoing challenges and continue to be successful in this complex environment is indicative of the resilience of LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING PHARMACISTS 15 the profession and the determination to survive, despite MESSAGE FROM THE GOLDEN MORTAR EDITORIAL 16 BOARD the adverse environment within which we often find our- selves. BASIC LIFE SUPPORT COURSE 16 …/continued on page 2 The Golden Mortar 8 /2017 © Copyright reserved 2015 1 …/Southern Gauteng Branch year end message continued It is extremely gratifying to experience the enthusiasm of a number of young pharmacists in our Branch who are willing to make a contribution to sustaining the future of our profession and branch. I would like to assure these young professionals that their contribution in time and effort to the profession does not go unnoticed. You are our future and we salute you for your effort. The Social Responsibility Project of the Southern Gauteng Branch, Trinity Pharmacy, is going from strength to strength and continues to be a pillar to many homeless people in the vicinity of Braamfontein. 2017 has been quite a year! I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank every member of the Branch Committee for the continued commitment and dedication during the past year. This Branch has a truly remarkable team of dedicated professionals who deal with the many operational chal- lenges and ensure that this Branch is fully functional. I thank you for your commitment. To those colleagues who lost a loved one during the year: Our thoughts are with you during this festive season. I would like to extend Season’s Greetings to all members of this and other branches and sectors of the Society and their families. May you experience the peace and the joy of the festive season and may we all be looking forward to a prosper- ous 2018! Prof. Michael Paul Danckwerts - Academic Sector PSSA Gauteng Once again it has been a quiet but fruitful year for the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (APSSA). This year the APSSA held their annual conference together with the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa at the Indaba Hotel in Midrand. Thanks to the North West University for hosting this exciting conference. The Heher commission’s report on its inquiry into the feasibility of making higher edu- cation and training fee-free in South Africa was completed in August this year, but the report still needs to be ratified and released by the President of South Africa. Ru- Prof Paul Danckwerts mours are that “Fees won’t fall”, but we will have to wait and see. As I write this mes- sage, we are hopeful that all our examinations proceed without any disruption. As we steadily move towards the end of 2017 we would like to wish all our students well in their coming exami- nations. Trinity Clinic still continues to flourish. Once again, thanks to the hard work of Deanne Johnston and various members of the Southern Gauteng branch of the PSSA for keeping Trinity Pharmacy going. Finally, I would like to wish all our members a happy, relaxed and peaceful festive season and renewed vigour to face the challenges of 2018. The Golden Mortar 8 /2017 2 SAACP SG BRANCH: END OF YEAR MESSAGE: 2017 Tshifhiwa Rabali - SAACP SG Branch Chairman Dear Colleagues, It has been a long year with much uncertainty around us. As Pharma- cists, particularly community pharmacists, our own problems and challenges were com- pounded by what is transpiring in our country. National Health Insurance (NHI) is upon us and it is extremely important that we engage with all stakeholders and be united as one profession so that we can be strategically placed and thereby positively contribute to the healthcare service delivery within our communities in association with the Department of Health. As South African Association of Community Pharmacists, Southern Gauteng (SAACP SG) Branch, we will continue to strive for the advancement of the community pharmacists. Tshifhiwa Rabali As you all know, during 2017 the Branch held 3 very relevant and worthwhile Sector Workshops, thereby enabling Branch members to be well informed and kept abreast of many issues occurring within our profession. We will continue to arrange pertinent Sector Workshops in the new year and I am appealing to the membership to attend these workshops going forward. To those Branch Committee members and Branch members who regularly attended these workshops, I would like to extend my appreciation. My sincere thanks and gratitude to all the SG Branch Committee members for their substantial contributions and support during the past year. We could not be a Branch Committee without you. I would also like to thank Ella Edelstein, our Branch Office Administrator, Teresia Stander, the Managing of SARCDA Trade Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd, and all the staff at the offices in Norwood for the sterling job they do. To all of you, best wishes for a very happy festive season and if you will be travelling, please be safe. Enjoy the well-earned rest and return energised to tackle the challenges in 2018. Thank you all and warm regards. The Southern Gauteng Branch of the SA Association of Hospital and Institutional Pharmacists (SAAHIP), under the joint Chairpersonship of Ms Thanushya Pillaye and Mr November Nkambule, takes this oppor- tunity to wish all our members and supporters as well as all their fami- lies and friends well over the festive season. May there be love, joy, happiness and peace over all mankind. May the spirit of the season rejuvenate you all for the challenges of 2018. Thanushya Pillaye November Nkambule The Southern Gauteng Branch of SAAHIP is undergoing a reconstruction period at this time and we would like to call on all our members to join in on this process. We call on, in particular, all our young enthusiastic members to help us re-shape the Branch in the way they (the young members) would like to see it. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The Golden Mortar 8 /2017 3 Dougie Oliver, FPS - President SAAPI Dear Members, the year 2017 for SAAPI has been characterized by significant transitions for our Association and our Pharmacists in Industry as well as for the pharmaceutical manufactur- ing and the regulatory environment. These transitions will continue for the best part of the current decade and even beyond. Showing leadership and future direction for all our mem- bers and our stakeholders including the Pharmaceutical Society is critical for SAAPI in develop- ing its value adding contributions to advance the profession and the activities of our members who are pivotal to the quality, safety and efficacy (QSE) of medicines for South Africa and be- yond our borders. The advances towards the implementation of the South African Health Products Authority (SAHPRA) are nearing its final stages and SAAPI is eager to engage with Prof Dougie Oliver SAHPRA structures in support of its activities. Likewise, is SAAPI committed to play a positive role in the implementation of the National Health Insurance roadmap. The intellectual knowledge developed in SAAPI will be an important basis for assisting in these strategic health care initiatives. SAAPI is well positioned to provide well researched solutions to SAHPRA and National Departments. We had the privilege of Tammy Maitland-Stuart joining SAAPI as Executive Director (ED) in July after nearly a year without the service of an ED and the transition in SAAPI’s activities are clearly evident. SAAPI is most grateful to Alison for keeping the office running smoothly.