Minister Mbombo celebrates World Pharmacists Day with DTHF and Iyeza Health

On 27 September 2022, Minister Dr Nomafrench Mbombo in collaboration with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF) and Iyeza Health, celebrated Pharmacists Day.

This year’s theme is aimed at showcasing the pharmacy’s positive impact on health around the world and to further strengthen solidarity amongst the profession. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness makes millions of medicine parcels available to patients by distributing it through innovation, such as e-locker, Wellness Hubs, and Chronic Dispensing Unit (CDU), to ensure easy access to medication. The CDU is an outsourced and centralized dispensing intervention for medicine. The CDU dispenses medicine for public-sector patients by collecting prescriptions for stable patients from health facilities, dispenses the medicines and returns them to the facilities which the patients attend.

Currently the total number of medicine parcels delivered via the CDU is 3.2 million for the period of January 2022 to August 2022. We are projecting to reach the 5 million parcels delivered by the end of December 2022.

In addition to the above initiative, the Department in collaboration with Iyeza Health, in partnership with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation came up with an initiative called “pharmacy on wheels”. Iyeza Health is a last mile delivery company focusing on medicine to your doorstep by using bicycles and mobile pharmacy services.

Mr Siraaj Adams, a Pharmacist for Iyeza Health says: “As a pharmacist, I understand the importance of adherence when it comes to medication and prevention of infection. Iyeza Health and Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has rolled out an innovative Fast Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to patient’s doorstep ensuring access to medication, thereby enabling them to take care of their health.”

This discreet and confidential service ensures more convenient access to medication to patients.

Pharmacy on wheels is an important innovation, as it not only limits the number of patients attending our facilities and their waiting times, but it also lessens the burden of our health system. It enables and encourages the patients to take care and responsibility of their own health, which requires both a whole of government and whole of society approach. Says Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness.