EDITORIAL The IPSF African Regional Office (AfRO) was born in the 54th IPSF World Congress held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania during August 1st-11th , 2008 when its establishment was voted as a way of tackling the importance of decentralizing IPSF work in the region. This is the 6th AfRO newsletter released. It is a full insight, a glance into the IPSF AfRO. Inside the newsletter, you will meet the Regional Working Group (RWG). These are the people who represent IPSF in the region. They are the implementors and the leaders of pharmacy students in Africa. You won’t only meet the RWG, but also two students who also share their amazing journey in Kigali, Rwanda during the 4th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium this year, through their articles.
Design and Layout
Rene NGABOYISONGA
REGIONAL MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS OFFICER
The African Regional Office is honoured to welcome you to the 5th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium in Mombasa, Kenya and to the 62nd IPSF World Congress in Harare, Zimbabwe. We hope to meet you there next year. Viva la Pharmacie!
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
ello IPSFers, I am Israel Bimpe, from the country of a thousand hills, Rwanda. I served as the Vice President of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (2015–16) and Chairperson of the IPSF African Regional Office (2015–16). I’m a final year student at the University of Rwanda. I’m grateful for the very motivated Regional Working Group (RWG) and skillful Executive Committee (ExCo). I look forward to collaborating and making many friends through IPSF during this mandate. In the African Regional Office, this year we aim to sustain the development of the Regional Office and IPSF at large by reaching out to more non-member countries in the west and south, build leadership capacities within the region and engage in projects and initiatives to increase activity within our region. The African Regional Office currently has 13 members in IPSF. I would like to welcome with joy the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Lesotho, new member countries that joined IPSF during the 61st IPSF World Congress. I would also like to congratulate Association Des Etudiant en Pharmacie (ADEPHARM), Ivory Coast and Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian students (PANS), Nigeria for attaining full membership during the 61st IPSF World Congress.
As we transition from the Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development, it is required from each stakeholder to improve their practice and evolve for us to reach these global goals. The practice of pharmacy shall not be left behind in this transition. This mandates us to be the architects of the future where we represent a generation of pharmacist and pharmaceutical scientists which is a more creative and innovative contributor to the knowledge base within health. Let us be a gateway of solutions for our communities and ultimately change the world. Realistically, we expect to meet challenges but no matter how difficult the circumstances, we acquire knowledge, skills and experience to move on. This doesn’t always benefit each of us personally but it is essential for our countries, the region, the Federation and the world, as we grow into a value-based society with no excuses for our leaders with an aim to transform nations and the world. The 4th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium in Kigali was breathtaking, with a record participation of more than 350 delegates. Next year is our region’s year within IPSF, early in June, we are all heading to Mombasa, Kenya for the 5th IPSF African Pharmaceutical and later in July to Harare, Zimbabwe for the 62nd World Congress, coming back to Africa after more than 20 years. See you in Mombasa! See you in Harare! IPSF is on African Vibes in 2016! Viva la Pharmacie!
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THE AMAZING RWG
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
THE AMAZING RWG
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Dear IPSFers As we transit from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development, it is required from each stakeholder to improve their practice and evolve for us to reach the Global Goals. The practice of Pharmacy shall not be left behind in this transition, this mandate us to be architects of the future where we represent a generation pharmacist and pharmaceutical scientists which is more creative and innovative contributor to the knowledge base within health. Let us be a gateway of solutions for our communities and ultimately change the world.
THE AMAZING RWG
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
As secretary, it is my responsibility to ensure the Regional Office as well as the Regional Assembly runs smoothly. Above all, the mission is to spread the IPSF spirit to those lacking it, inspire those who feel discouraged and ensure that the society around us benefits from our presence! This and many more we will do to ensure that the growth of our beloved region is sustained. ‘‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader’’ – John Quincy Adams Hoping to see you all at the next IPSF event where we will get to share and live the IPSF dream! Viva la Pharmacie.
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ello Africa, and greetings from Nigeria! I am Aniekan Ekpenyong, a recent pharmacy graduate and my interests are in Public Health and Drug Policy Formulation. My journey with IPSF began in the summer of 2014, when I became the Contact Person for Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students Nigeria. Prior to this, I never heard about IPSF as PANS became a Member-in-Association just a year before. At first, things were quite complicated as I didn’t know how IPSF worked. However, my hard work was awarded when Nigeria was accepted as a Full Member at the 61st General Assembly in India and I just knew IPSF was the place to be. This motivated me to be a part of the dynamic team of young leaders from all over Africa as the secretary of the Africa Regional Office.
THE AMAZING RWG
ello IPSF-ers, My name is Rene Ngaboyisonga, I am the current Regional Media and Publications Officer of the IPSF African Regional Office. My philosophy has always been “I will always give back to the society, because my talents and capabilities are more for the society than they are for me”. Since last year, when I got a position as a coordinator in the Media and Design Committee of IPSF, I was caught up in the IPSF spirit. It felt so good to be a part of the amazing IPSF family, together giving back to the society. I am in my final year of pharmacy at the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences.
So far, I have made so many connections and friends that I can’t count. Most of them, I met during the African Pharmaceutical Symposium in Kigali, Rwanda. There I realised I was not the only one motivated to change the world and to make it a better place through my career. Guess what? I met hundreds of IPSF-ers like me. To finish, the year 2016: The African Regional Office is hosting the IPSF World Congress in Harare, Zimbabwe and the 5th IPSF AfPS in Mombasa, Kenya. What can I say? What a glorious year! Come and meet thousands of people with whom you can change the world. Viva la pharmacie!
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IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
THE AMAZING RWG
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Materializing our ideas and ensuring that the region grows and is able to be recognized for its unity and drive towards the well being of the profession globally. Being a first timer I am eager to experience this new challenge that I have embraced. The infectious IPSF spirit has already caught up with me, let’s do this. I look forward to seeing you all in Mombasa, Kenya for the 5th AfPS, “kosa uchekwe” that’s Kiswahili for “miss it and you will be laughed at”. Viva la Pharmacie! “WHAT YOU KNOW DOESN’T MATTER, IT’S ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT”.
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arlier this year if someone told me that I would be holding the position of RPO for AfRO-IPSF I would have disregarded that statement immediately. Little did I know that my participation in the 4th AfPS in Rwanda last July was the door that would welcome me into this world of enthusiastic, young and passionate IPSF-ers. Passionate about the future of pharmacy, I am geared up to ensuring that my time in office is spent on narrating our story, the African pharmacist’s story. Organizing fun and engaging projects and campaigns through which people will get to know and understand what a pharmacist is and our role/contribution towards delivering better healthcare services.
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
THE AMAZING RWG
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, and to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson. Serving my fellow Africans brings me hope and happiness. Being a pharmacist is not living in luxury, but it is being a precious resource to others. As the RRO, I am lucky enough to serve Africa and the whole world through IPSF. My communication and leadership skills are useful for the sake of the professional image of pharmacists. Bringing together many pharmacy students from different African countries at IPSF AfRO will make a difference in mindsets of African pharmacists. where future pharmacists will be acting according to African needs and a new generation of pharmacists will be a part of a good and positive change across Africa. All of this will be achieved through IPSF membership promotion. “Persistence. Perfection. Patience. Power. Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane.” Criss Jami, Killosophy. “At IPSF, you learn, you live and you share!”
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am a 5th year pharmacy student at the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. My interest in clinical pharmacology gives me opportunities to provide optimum quality of care to patients with cancer. Networking and listening to others gives me the courage and opportunities to make good decisions. I actively participate in my community by volunteering, which indicates my bright future. Being a member and volunteer for the Rwanda Pharmacy Students Association since 2011, gave me an opportunity of knowing and recognizing IPSF’s activities. I officially served IPSF-AfRO as the Chairperson of the 4th IPSF AfPS in 2014-2015, and from there I believed in my abilities of even doing more. For this reason I was very interested in the Regional Relations portfolio and thanks to AfRO, I am now the Regional Relations Officer at IPSF AfRO.
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
he narrative is true. The world is looking into Africa, and Africa is rising! Three out of the six IPSF annual events are scheduled to take place in this continent in 2016: The World Congress in Zimbabwe, the African Pharmaceutical Symposium in Kenya, and the East Mediterranean Symposium in Egypt ( in the IPSF EMRO Region). I’m truly delighted to be part of this story. My role is quite significant as much as it is simple. The planning and actualization of the 5th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium has been entrusted into my hands. This coming year, I get to live out my life’s purpose and I’m blessed to do so with a team of 11 passionate individuals, who have the AfPS on their minds full-time!
After impacting our communities, organizing projects with our people’s best interests at heart, developing ourselves professionally, taking the practice of pharmacy to the next level all the while having so much fun, we will congregate in Mombasa from every corner of this great continent and have one climax of the year like never before. The 5th IPSF AfPS theme is one that is close to my heart. It reads: “Rewriting the African Narrative in Health Care: Access, Quality, and Innovation”. We’ve let other people’s opinion of Africa define us, come on over let’s rewrite that narrative! We’ll get to do all that in this kind of an environment - a coastal city, beach-front hotel, the whole stretch of the shore to ourselves… you know you can’t miss it. See you at the 5th IPSF- African Pharmaceutical Symposium!
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THE AMAZING RWG
MY AfPS JOURNEY
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. University of Rwanda cares (as I thought): To celebrate its two year anniversary, the University of Rwanda was a key partner (it’s beyond sponsoring or supporting) in the success of the AfPS 2015, the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students Association (RPSA) members can surely understand this. The lone Rwandan public university contributed as much as Rwf 15.494.702 out of Rwf 27.500.000 used, that’s 56.35% of the total event budget, not to mention providing facilities such as venue, key speakers, buses and hostels for local participants, among others. The Deputy Dean of the University’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences (UR-CMHS), Professor Pierre Claver Kayumba (AfPS patron) sacrificed a lot (beyond imagination) for this Symposium, on the behalf of everyone who never had this chance, I simply say “thank you”.
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. Pharmacy students are committed: The 4th IPSF AfPS has opened up my mind more, made me think and rethink before I jumped to saying that pharmacy is a profession parted from others. IPSF, which includes pharmacy students from around the world, is the oldest student-led organization and regularly holds the IPSF World Congress every year. For the case of Rwanda, RPSA is the only association that regularly organizes an annual symposium. You won’t find such a similar thing, neither on the professional or student level. The importance and benefits of such gatherings, be it RPSA, AfPS or IPSF are irrefutable, it’s high time at universities, national government organizations, private and public health organizations and governments seize this power in pharmacy youth to educate, save lives and contribute to forging a healthier world.
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lmost four months ago, Rwanda hosted the 4th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium from July 9th to 13th in Kigali. Today, we reminisce about ten things we learned from the eventful continental show. For those unfamiliar with IPSF, this acronym stands for International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation. Regarded as the best African Pharmaceutical Symposium since the inaugural edition in 2012, the 4th IPSF AfRO Symposium (the 4th IPSF AfPS) was held at University of Rwanda’s headquarters from the 9th to 13th of July. The event attracted over 350 participants from 12 countries. The theme of the symposium was ‘Idealising Pharmacy Profession by Merging Research and Practice’ and it was tipped by various officials including the University of Rwanda Deputy Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research, Professor Nelson M. Ijumba. “We consider research to be a fundamental enabler for us since our mission is to contribute to the development of Rwanda, through knowledge creation and commitment to the highest standards of academic excellence, where students are prepared for lives of service, leadership and solutions.” Professor Ijumba said in his opening remark. The four-day long multi-event gathering included educational and scientific symposiums, workshops and abstract presentations, the Leaders in Training (LIT) program, a Patient Counseling Event, different night events, the Regional Assembly as well as the Post Symposium Tour (PST). Back to my initial point, the following are ten things I learned from the 4th IPSF AfPS.
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
MY AfPS JOURNEY
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African pharmacists are (should be) one people, forget about distance and borders: We’re living the 21st century (.com generation) where communications have been notably eased. We should maximize the opportunities we get to network and become one people as the pharmacy fraternity of Africa. It is through that channel and raising high ethical standards individually, in communities, on the national level, regional scene and the continent as a whole that we will inherit younger generations a greener pasture where children will grow up not aiming to become a pilot, engineer or doctor, but a pharmacist.
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The numbers don’t lie, AfPS 2015 in Rwanda was the best: One of the things that many people based on to name AfPS 2015 the best IPSF AfRO symposium in records so far, was the number of participants and I will also use that statistics endorse that rank. The maiden AfPS in Algeria (2012) had an estimated number of 200 participants, the second edition in Arusha, Tanzania (2013) attracted roughly 250 people before the 2014 (third) edition got around 150 attendees while Rwanda overwhelmed to land a total number of 349 participants
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Kigali is cleaner than most Kigalians (like me) realize: Admitting to the cleanliness of Kigali doesn’t necessarily require to travel and compare…to keep receiving and interacting with guests from over 10 countries made me again realize how smart my city is. On July 9 (day of most of the arrivals), I was trying to network with various guests and one Kenyan friend opened up and told me, “Kigali is over organized, back in Nairobi you won’t find such a thing. Here, drivers respect pedestrians, there is no littering rubbish around, the roads are perfectly clean …” If you live/stay in Kigali and wake up finding the neighborhoods clean, don’t take it for granted. There are millions of people who would love to have such cleanliness in their home cities but don’t.
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MY AfPS JOURNEY
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Rwandans girls are beautiful: I won’t take much time explaining this point, ask any foreign friend what s/he knows about Rwanda and the “beautiful ladies” will come among top three. I will waste little time on this brief paragraph only because it’s a lady who made me re-digest and hesitantly (pretending as if I didn’t know) admit that maybe it’s true Rwanda has got that too.
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PST: Words can’t say it enough, with a 29-seater bus packed at maximum. The 25-participant team headed to the southwest (five hours from Kigali) of Rwanda on Tuesday, July 14 in the morning for the Post Symposium Tour and no one was left disappointed, the canopy walk experience was beyond everyone’s expectations.
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Your turn to share…
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Missing AfPS 2016 is not an option: Now that AfPS 2016 has been awarded to Kenya, I have many reasons as to why I should not miss the 5th African Pharmaceutical Symposium. For one or two major reasons justifying the worthy of my travel, courtesy of AfPS 2015 Rwanda, I now have over twenty Kenyan friends to ease my stay in Kenya. Besides, it has always been my desire to visit Mombasa and enjoy the beach at the Indian Ocean. But hold on…the overall major reason is the AfPS will be another learning and networking platform for me as we join our efforts in making pharmacy better and saving African lives.
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As far as my East African-ship is concerned, I need to learn swahili by all means: I’m keenly eager to learn kiswahili and rightly so, more than 85% of international participants of the AfPS 2014 were from kiswahili speaking countries namely Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. I’m happy to tell you that I have already started my learning, don’t be surprised if we meet in Mombasa next year and hear no English words from me, lucky if I don’t charge you an interpretation service fee. Poor are the people who missed both LIT and PST: Don’t rush into the book of the Corinthians, this not a bible verse. However, if you did not attend the Leaders in Training program and added an insult to an injury by ditching Post Symposium Tour, know that you missed a lot. LIT: held for one day (July 8) with a limited number of 20 attendees, participants enjoyed an entertaining leadership mentorship from former IPSF AfRO Chairperson Dr. Bedan Maina of Kenya and newly appointed chairperson Israel Bimpe of Rwanda.
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had planned to travel to Rwanda only once this year but the events that fell between February and June made it inevitable for me to make my second trip. This time I went for the 4th IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium (AfPS) 2015. IPSF stands for the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation. The symposium was held at the headquarters of University of Rwanda in Kigali from July 9th-13th, 2015 under the theme “Idealizing Pharmacy Profession by Promoting Research and Practice”. The symposium attracted over 300 pharmacy students and pharmacy professionals from east, west, south, and central Africa. In order to make the trip and my stay more interesting and exciting, I made sure I did things differently this time. The Journey Unlike in February when I travelled during the night, this time I travelled during the day. I got to appreciate the beauty of western Uganda. I used a different bus service, Trinity Express. The bus was very comfortable (I forgot to take pictures of the interior of the bus) and the fare was only shs. 40,000. It is one bus that I would recommend if you’re travelling from Kampala to Kigali. At the boarder I used my recently acquired national ID. I was the only Ugandan at the symposium It wasn’t my making that I would be the only Ugandan at the symposium. The rest of my colleagues couldn’t make it for various reasons. My proudest moment: When I received the Uganda national flag. On my right is Ms. Ange Marie Uwase (Chairperson of the Symposium). On my left is Prosper Maposa (Chairperson of IPSF AfRO Region)
Being the only one representing Uganda, I made sure my presence was felt. I engaged delegates on what they knew about Uganda. I would ask them to tell me anything they knew about Uganda. The responses were very interesting. “I know Eddy Kenzo, the guy who sang Sitya Loss”, said Francis from Ivory Coast. Alain from Democratic Republic of the Congo gave a similar response. In case you doubted the popularity of our very own Eddy Kenzo (BET winner), there you have it. Jacobs and Mgambi from Tanzania told me they know of Zari. For my readers who don’t know Zari, she is a socialite in Kampala who is currently dating a Tanzanian musician called Diamond Platinum. The most shocking answer was from a lady from Kenya who told me that Makerere University is in Tanzania. She told me to hide her identity in this blog. Are you wondering how she came to that conclusion? “Julius Nyerere (former President of Tanzania) studied at Makerere University, so Makerere University should be in Tanzania”, she confidently told me. I forgave her for her “incorrect” knowledge. I hope students from Makerere University who are reading this can also do the same. Scientific Symposium Several sub topics were discussed including antimicrobial resistance, patient-centered care and follow-up, traditional medicine and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), research development, areas for improvement in Africa, counterfeit drugs and health care outcomes, generic manufacturers versus branded manufacturers, global health perspective towards NCDs and innovations in health. I made my presentation under the subtopic of innovations in health. My presentation was entitled “Use of Social Media to Promote Health; Case Study of the Medical Concierge Group (TMCG)”.
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MY AfPS JOURNEY
IPSF AfRO newsletter #6
MY AfPS JOURNEY
Social events
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he symposium had several social events among others an international night, auction night, cultural night and gala night. Each country represented at the symposium was required to make a show of something about their culture whether it be music, dance, drama or a simple talk. Despite the fact that I was the only one from Uganda, I wasn’t exempted from performing in the international night. With my undergraduate gown as my costume, I showed the rest of Africa the culture at Makerere University.
Special thanks
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would especially like to thank the following people: my dad for funding part of the trip, Dr. David Musinguzi (Managing Director TMCG) for guiding me in making the presentation and to the Reception Committee (RC) of 4th IPSF AfPS. The RC that was chaired by Ms. Marie Ange Uwase who did exceedingly well in organizing the symposium. PS: You liked the story yeah? You felt like you should have been in Rwanda? Worry not! The 5th AfPS will be in Mombasa from Thursday the 16th to Monday the 20th of June, 2016. Find the details here in the pre-symposium booklet https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz PXcTB5bfzb0w2N0wzVVE0SXM/view . Start saving now and let’s all be in Mombasa next year.