Why disease prevention matters
Disease prevention strategies enable us to remain healthy, functional and productive, leading to happier lives, stronger economic growth and less pressure on health systems. It is imperative that governments invest more in prevention, and that health professionals step up to the challenge of helping people stay healthy. Prevention should be at the core of sound health care policymaking and is key to the sustainability of health systems in all countries, regardless of income level.
Pharmacists are particularly well positioned to play an important role in the primary (postponing/avoiding disease onset) and secondary (avoiding disease progression) prevention of disease in a variety of ways. For this reason, FIP established this as a priority area for advocacy and practice development.
Although the role of pharmacists in disease prevention is important both for communicable and non-communicable diseases, this FIP micro-site focuses on the prevention of disease through vaccination, the prevention of vector-borne diseases, and the promotion of informed and pharmacist-supported self-care towards better health and well-being. As such, albeit Prevention is linked to various FIP Development Goals, it has a particularly strong association with Development Goal 16, Communicable Diseases.
FIP Development Goal 16 [w]
Workforce & education Element
Education and training infrastructures in place to develop a workforce prepared to deliver quality services around communicable and vector-borne diseases
FIP Development Goal 16 [p]
Practice Element
Strategies and people-centred professional services for the prevention, surveillance, management and therapeutic optimisation of communicable and vector-borne diseases.
FIP Development Goal 16 [s]
Science Element
Capacity to monitor and respond to communicable with innovative approaches for prevention and treatment.
Vaccination
Pharmacists make a huge contribution to improving vaccination coverage throughout the life course and ensuring access to vaccines that are relevant for every age group.
They do this through a variety of roles, from providing evidence-based advice on vaccines, to administering vaccines, to keeping vaccination records.
Communicable diseases
Pharmacists are ideally placed to support communities and patients in protecting themselves against these diseases through awareness-raising campaigns and advice, education on vector-control methods and disease prevention, vaccine administration and advocacy, treatment optimisation, supporting patients’ physical and mental well-being, and reducing social stigma.
