“Empowering pharmacists for tobacco cessation in South-East Asia”

Attendance an online digital event on Jun. 27, 2024 entitled “Empowering pharmacists for tobacco cessation in South-East Asia”. The event was offered by International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).

Description: In the South-East Asia Area, 26.5% of individuals aged 15 years and above were present tobacco users. Offered the regional and universal burden and prevalence of tobacco usage, especially as a risk agent for noncommunicable illnesses, it is essential that the function of pharmacists in this region is consolidated and expanded. The SEARPharm Forum and FIP invited us to participate in this event to learn more concerning the burden of tobacco usage in the South-East Asia area and the function that pharmacists can perform in tobacco cessation. The present event contained views from the WHO Regional Office, the presentation of FIP resources, and country examples of provided pharmacist services to develop tobacco cessation by pharmacists.

Moderator:

- Venkata Narayana Tanniru, President Indian Pharmaceutical Association, FIP South-East Asian Pharmaceutical Forum (SEARPharm Forum), India.

Panellists:

- Jagdish Kaur, Regional Adviser, Tobacco Free initiative, Southeast Asia Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO SEARO), India.

- Vindya Pathiraja, Head of the Department and Senior Lecturer University of Ruhuna and Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka.

- Audrey Clarissa, Vice Secretary General, Ikatan Apoteker, Indonesia.

- Wirat Tongrod, Lecturer, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Huachiew Chalermprakiet University, Thailand.

- Inês Nunes da Cunha, FIP Practice Development and Transformation Projects Manager FIP, The Netherlands.