Sri Lanka’s first pharmacy helpline was launched on the 24th of September 2021 at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. This was initiated by the Society of Government Pharmacists (SGP) with the backing of the Ministry of Health Sri Lanka, and a joint effort with by SLT-Mobitel. Dr. Nithushi Samaranayake, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, FAHS, USJ was invited to deliver the keynote speech at the launching ceremony. Her keynote was on ‘Pharmacy: Always Trusted for Your Health’ which was also the theme for the World Pharmacists Day 2021 initiated by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
The National Pharmacy Helpline is an island wide service with over 120 dedicated government pharmacists trained by SLT-Mobitel to facilitate calls and to provide medication related advice to patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients receive their medicines through the post from state hospitals, and may have various issues related to their medication therapy. This joint endeavor will enable Sri Lankans to obtain optimal healthcare services by simply dialing the NPH hotline 0716222555 from the safety of their homes. For further information, click here
Further, as a pharmacy academic of USJ, Dr. Samaranayake contributed to this national cause through advocacy to the SGP team during the initiation of the NPH program and after launching it. She was invited by the SGP to address the 120 government pharmacists who had volunteered to work in the National Pharmacy Helpline on the topic, ‘Preparing pharmacists for NPH’ to advocate pharmacists on the do’s and don’ts when handling the helpline on 15th September 2021. She was also invited as a panelist at a panel discussion held to discuss pharmacists’ issues when mediating the NPH on 18th September 2021. After launching the project, Dr. Samaranayake was invited to speak (virtually) on the topic ‘Preliminary Prescription Review’ on 7th October 2021 as a effort of the SGP to continuously educate the pharmacists who volunteered for the NPH.
