ipsf afro.
.org
The International Pharmaceutical Students Federation
African
Regional
Office
was
established in 2008 during the 54th IPSF General
Assembly
in
Cluj-
Napoca,Romania. Since then, the region has
grown
tremendously
representing
pharmacy students and recent graduates in
19
African
Countries
through
member associations.
IPSFAfRO
/
its
20
Elton Vidal Francis Decker IPSF AfRO Regional Media and Publications Officer
Dear IPSF AfRO Pharmily,
We are on the roller coaster of a healthcare revolution. And that revolution has been so termed Artificial Intelligence - or
Newsletter 14 Editorial Board Cover & back pages: Hezron Munyakin
AI.
It is not only popular and has a good ring to it, but also safe to affirm that it is more of a revolution than an evolution. There are a number of perks and surreal mix of ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ settling around the use of AI in healthcare. It can be
IPSF AfRO RMPO
of real help in analyzing data and presenting results that
Subcommittee 2019-20
would support decision making, saving human effort, time, and money, and obviously help save lives.
Design & Layout: Elton V. F. Decker
Pharmacy as a profession and business will continue to face
IPSF AfRO Regional Media
hurdles,
and Publications Officer
healthcare system will determine its continuing success. And
2019-20
as
and
literature
efficiency
Editors: Esther Kisanga
how
it
suggest,
and
submits
relevance
leveraging
reduced
AI
operating
to
to
the
improve
costs
while
overall
workflow fostering
safety, accuracy and efficiency in every pharmacy setting could
be
an
important
step
to
take
in
analyzing
Editor, AfRO Bloggers Group
relationships between prevention or treatment techniques
2019-20
and patient outcomes.
IPSF AfRO RMPO
This newsletter defines AI, explores the merits and demerits,
Subcommittee 2019-20
analyzes
Laila Kasumba
Supervised by: Purity Wambui
the
progress
in
various
health
disciplines
and
different parts of the world, and informs us on the readiness of the pharmacy profession to embrace it.
IPSF AfRO Chairperson 2019-
Happy reading!
20
Elton.
Table of Contents Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Yay or Nay?
5
By Ozioma Ezeofor - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Pharmacy Practice in Africa
7
By Qazeem Sanusi - PANS, Nigeria
Could Nanotechnology be the Phuture of Medicine?
9
By Gathai Mundia - KEPhSA, Kenya
Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Artificial Intelligence
11
By Adedeji Oluwakorede - PANS, Nigeria
Exciting Times for Pharmaceutical Management
13
By Punit Solanki - Pharmacist, Group RP - Quality, Phillips Pharma Group
Artificial Intelligence in R & D of New Medicine
15
By Nayituriki Thierry - RPSA, Rwanda
The Merge Between Infotech and Biotech: A Call to Revise Pharmacy Education By Castory Munishi - TAPSA, Tanzania
AI in Reducing Pharma's Carbon Footprint
19
By Esther Kisanga - Editor, IPSF AfRO Bloggers Group 2019-20
Effective Healthcare Through AI Induced Transformation By Hope Mashavakure - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
21
17
Engaging in Personal Branding and Good Use of Social Media as a Pharmacy Student 23 By Melody Okerere - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
iRobot
25
By Babatunde Yusuf Olalekan - PANS, Nigeria
Regional Working Group: The Superheroes
Interprofessional Teamwork in Healthcare
26
27
By Nzeribe Emmanuella - IPSF AfRO Regional Relations Officer 2019-20
COVID-19: People Are Good
29
By Laila Kasumba - IPSF AfRO RMPO Subcommittee 2019-20
TAPSA Conducts Symposium to Discuss AI in Solving Healthcare By Esther Kisanga & Castory Munishi - TAPSA, Tanzania
31
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Yay or Nay?
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Yay or Nay By Ozioma Ezeofor - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
E: oziezetheeagle@gmail.com
AI Use in Healthcare The
potential
increasingly
for
AI
and
promising.
8
robotics
ways
in
that
healthcare
show
how
gets
AI
and
robotics are currently transforming healthcare according to PwC:
What is artificial intelligence? Artificial
intelligence
machine
or
a
(AI)
is
the
ability
computer-controlled
of
robot
a to
perform tasks typically associated with human
Keeping well: AI helps people stay healthy so they don’t
reasoning and intelligence. Human intelligence
need
is being simulated in machines which enables
applications that encourage healthy living.
a
doctor
as
often.
This
is
through
mobile
them to think like and mimic human behaviour. This
range
perception,
of
capabilities
speech
includes
recognition,
visual
Early detection: Diseases like cancer are detected earlier
decision-
more accurately due to advancements in AI. Early-stage
making, translation between languages, etc.
heart disease can be overseen using medical devices which enable clinicians to better monitor and detect any potentially life-threatening episodes before they become too late.Â
Diagnosis:
In
recent
accurate
diagnoses
advances
in
AI,
years, with
deep
there
artificial
learning
(a
have
been
intelligence. form
of
more With
artificial
intelligence) may become more efficient in diagnosis in the coming years.
Decision making: Predictive analysis is vital for clinical decision-making and actions. Pattern recognition is used to identify patients at risk of developing a condition or deteriorating due to physical and environmental factors.
5
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Yay or Nay?
Treatment: As a result of advancements in pattern
However, this problem can be mitigated if healthcare
recognition
professionals play an active role in the development
and
health
data
analysis,
AI
helps
clinicians take a more patient-centered approach
of
towards
makes
creating the standard and for necessary limitations
recommendations based on the findings. Robots
that should be imposed. It is said that AI is only as
are also used for repetitive tasks, physical therapy,
good as the data used in creating it. Therefore, the
and rehabilitation. This, however, does not replace
data inputted should be robust and varied because
the
any flawed or biased data will result in an erroneous
disease
clinicians
management
or
make
and
absolute
also
decisions
on
patients’ treatment.
this
technology.
Their
knowledge
is
vital
for
output (predictions or diagnosis) which will ultimately result in flawed treatment options for the patient. The
End
of
life
care:
Due
to
the
different
and
sometimes slower, lonelier ways people come to
appropriate inclusion of AI will help achieve a more accurate diagnosis and greater efficiency.
the end of their lives, robots have the potential to revolutionize end of life care by reducing the need for
hospitalization
and
home
care
and
helping
people remain independent longer. AI combined
Effects of AI on Human Resources
with
Every
advancements
enabling
robots
to
in
humanoid
go
even
design
further
and
is
have
single
history
has
technological brought
advancement
about
economic
in
human
development
“conversations” and other social interactions with
and a better standard of living for people because
people, keeping their minds sharp.
they
leveraged
However,
on
the
productivity
advancements
in
AI
of
will
everyone.
leverage
the
Research: According to the California Biomedical
productivity of specially skilled people which means
Research
the
that even though it will create new job roles, it will
research lab to the patient takes an average of 12
displace more job roles than it creates. The jobs most
years. AI helps streamline drug discovery and drug
at
repurposing processes cutting both time and cost
predictable.
of new drugs.
healthcare
Association,
the
journey
from
risk
are
those
that
This
shows
like
are
routine,
that
empathy,
some
repetitive basic
creativity,
and
points
and
of
human
relationships might not be so easily taken over by Training:
As
AI
healthcare
robots. Training clinicians on the effective use of this
professionals need training in this new technology,
technology would help mitigate the fear of job loss
its
due
advantages
and
like
Robotics
improved
grow,
cost,
quality,
and
to
AI.
These
tools
aren’t
meant
to
replace
access to health care, and its shortfalls such as
clinicians but their use should help in more accurate
transparency and liability.
decision-making
and
more
effective
treatment
options.
What About Patient Safety?
Conclusion
With the sudden rise in the roles of AI in healthcare,
Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm and
patient safety has become an important focus for
every
clinicians
and
the
general
population.
There
walk
of
life
is
evolving
to
accommodate
it.
are
Healthcare is at the center of livelihood and whatever
concerns for patient safety, health equity, and data
happens, human lives must be the priority. Artificial
security because, without careful thought, AI could
intelligence
do more harm than good for healthcare.
system depending on how it evolves and how much
can
build
or
destroy
the
healthcare
clinicians are involved in that evolution. The future of the
world
is
in
Robotics
and
so
is
the
future
of
healthcare.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
6
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Pharmacy Practice in Africa
Impact of Artificial Intelligence
on the Future of Pharmacy Practice in Africa By Qazeem Sanusi - PANS, Nigeria
E: sanusiqazeem2020@gmail.com
In ancient times, pharmacy practice had experienced
On this note lies the concept of Artificial Intelligence
relative
setbacks
optimum,
and
enhanced
healthcare.
There
lapses and
was
a
in
the
quality crucial
provision
of
whose
delivery
of
impossible
need
for
the
discovery of tactical and feasible approaches that
relevance to
to
pharmacy
overstate
as
we
practice must
would
be
recognize
the
indispensable roles that artificial intelligence plays in improving health and patient outcomes.
would enhance better health outcomes and maximum output without reducing productivity. However, over
Sequel
the
years,
of
artificial
tasks easily, faster, accurately and more efficiently,
from
the
a
Africa
trends
intelligence with the ability to perform multifaceted
to
in
emerging
has
product-oriented
practice
the
experienced a paradigm change as it has evolved a
pharmacy
to
patient-oriented
era
use
of
and
devices
with
pharmacists’ work less cumbersome.
the
increasing
technological
7
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
demands
of
the
the
machines
hence the need for pharmacy education to meet up
world.
in
robots,
pharmaceutical
other
sector
computed
have
made
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Pharmacy Practice in Africa
Artificial intelligence as a concept refers to the use of
automated
traditionally
algorithms
rely
on
to
human
perform
tasks
intelligence.
which
Every
day,
innovations are achieved to further tackle problems facing the world today. This technology now seems to be swerving towards the healthcare space as it has proven
to
be
of
utmost
importance
to
pharmacy
practice in the African region.
Today,
in
complex
Africa, and
access
to
healthcare
multifaceted.
is
Stretched
more
by
the
increasing costs of healthcare and poor healthcare financing,
minimal
operational
policy
interventions
inefficiencies
by
the
and
pharmacy
manpower, the need to address the demands for high quality healthcare is urgent, and it is high time we had evaluated the indispensable role that AI plays in this regard. While AI has been around for quite some decades, Africa is still at the start of the journey. AI is now
gaining
practice
grounds
because
and
of
its
momentum
capability
in
to
pharmacy
help
breed
acumen from huge volumes of data.
Artificial
Intelligence
interactions,
drug
offers
therapy
guidance monitoring
on
drug
and
drug
pharmacy management system. In Africa where we are faced with a shortage of pharmacists, AI can be to
address
the
growing
demands
for
prescriptions, improve workflow efficiency and lower operating
costs
while
promoting
safety,
accuracy,
and efficiency in our pharmacy setting. Automated dispensing will also provide pharmacists with more time to engage with a greater volume of patients while
also
enhancing
their
health
outcomes.
Pharmacies in the African region can become health management
centers
instead
of
only
medication
fulfillment locations as health trackers can be used to offer
real-time
capture
of
data
that
can
enable
pharmacists to follow up with at-risk patients on their conditions and monitor their quality of improvement. Just recently was the news of a powerful antibiotic, halicin that was discovered using machine learning algorithm.
the
process
potential
of
uses
drug
from
discovery,
initial
AI
has
many
of
drug
screening
compounds to prediction of the success rate of a drug. It is also noteworthy to highlight that Chinese technology giant, Alibaba recently developed an AI system for diagnosing the COVID-19 in few seconds with 96% accuracy.
Sadly, the wider perspective in the African pharmacy practice
is
that
AI
would
transform
the
pharmaceutical sector, possibly resulting in the loss of jobs or displacements. However, studies have shown that with the aid of AI in the pharmaceutical sector,
formulary selection. In pharmacy practice, AI is called
used
In
productivity, yield, and output typically improves, and that advancement most likely results in higher output, reduced
healthcare
financing,
better
patient,
and
health outcomes. In African pharmacy practice, we have not yet enjoyed the indispensable benefits of artificial intelligence. This explains why the sector has suffered
quite
a
lot
of
setbacks
in
the
optimal
delivery of healthcare.
However,
as
the
Africa
future
approaches,
should
adopt
practice
in
artificial
intelligence
as
it
the
would
pharmacy
concept
be
of
of
great
importance leading to increased productivity, better healthcare and patient outcomes, more efficient drug discovery
and
management. healthcare region
As
analysis, one
providers,
also
need
to
and
of
accurate
the
most
pharmacists brace
up,
in
data
accessible the
acquire
African
skills
that
would make them relevant and equip them with the technical
know-how
to
meet
up
with
the
technological innovation and revolution taking place in
pharmacy
practice;
a
necessary
step
towards
impacting the future of pharmacy practice in Africa.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
8
Could Nanotechnology be the Phuture of Medicine?
Could Nanotechnology be
the Phuture of Medicine?
9
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Could Nanotechnology be the Phuture of Medicine?
Many
problems
that
affect
the
world
healthcare
today, such as lack of adherence in medicines, drug overdose, and antimicrobial resistance can be solved by the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Researchers
are
designing
indigestible
pills
that
harbor sensors that can stay in the stomach for a few weeks while connecting wirelessly with an external device such as a pc, smartphone or wearables. The capsule is designed as a star-shaped capsule with six arms that fold up before being encased in a smooth capsule.
When
swallowed,
the
pill
lodges
in
the
stomach for about a month before it disintegrates and
is
passed
commands release
through
from
drugs
the
in
the
digestive
external
different
device,
quantities
tract. the
and
Upon
pills
can
different Other Artificial intelligence technologies being tested
durations.
for use in the pharma world are: The
pills
are
manufactured
using
3D
printing
technology that could be used to deliver drugs to treat different types of diseases easing tension to the
Smart bandages which are made of hydrogel and can be left out to until they dissolve
patients particularly where a patient is needed to take a drug for a longer period. They could also be used to sense the amount of drug in the blood at different
times
hence
detecting
bioavailability
and
clearance which are essential for treatment. All these
"DNA origami" robots that seek a protein found in cancer cells and release a blood-clotting enzyme. After some time, the blood supply to the tumor is cut.
can be communicated between the patient and the doctor's
smartphone.
These
pills
could
help
many
patients adhere to the strict regimens required for patients
with
chronic
diseases
and
also
HIV
and
Micromotors
propels
stomach The pills could respond to early signs of a disease
contain
tiny
beads
of
with few side effects by using a hydrogen bubble that
Malaria.
which
magnesium and titanium. It treats stomach ulcers
each
lining,
bead
then
until
it
neutralizes
sticks the
to
pH
the
before
releasing an antibiotic.
with the appropriate drug. For example, if it detects an
infection,
the
capsule
could
begin
releasing
antibiotics. Or, it could disseminate an antihistamine in an event where an allergic reaction is detected. Researchers are exploring the possibility of replacing the silver oxide battery, which is currently used, with stomach acid as a source of power.
Atmo
Gas
capsule
which
is
a
permeable
membrane that allows gases to enter the capsule, sensors
detect
levels
of
oxygen,
hydrogen,
and
CO2. It could be used in diagnosing GI disorders, identify patients at risk of colon cancer and other diseases
and
also
in
understanding
food
sensitivities and individual nutrition.
A
vibrating
contractions
By Gathai Mundia - KEPhSA, Kenya
E: sgathai11@gmail.com
capsule to
which
jumpstart
promotes digestion.
muscle It
can
effectively treat constipation without the use of laxatives and any major side effects.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
10
Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Artificial Intelligence
Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Artificial Intelligence By Adedeji Oluwakorede - PANS, Nigeria
E: oluwakorede2017@gmail.com
Improvement
in
primary
healthcare
services
and
increased funding have increased health coverage in some states since local citizens now have access to health professionals and drug treatment. Impressive reports have been obtained such as the reduction of child
mortality
Sub-Saharan
by
54%
Africa
between
and
by
1990
67%
and
in
2015
North
in
Africa.
AIDS-related deaths and maternal mortality have also dropped significantly. Nonetheless, more work is still to
be
done
because
a
large
proportion
of
the
population still needs basic healthcare amenities.
Healthcare
has
evolved
through
history,
from
traditional medicine practiced by the primitive man,
Proper healthcare is a right of every human that should not incur financial burden or poverty, instead, many individuals do not have access to this necessity.
down to western medicine and now it's time for a new
otherwise
encompasses basic
the
healthcare
availability services
to
and every
affordability member
of
of the
population and implies that every citizen should not have to suffer because of a lack of access to good treatment or because of the high financial cost. It is the major topic of discussion for a while now since the last few years but sadly, not much progress has been achieved especially in particular rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.
of
evolution
known
as
to
Machine
Artificial
Intelligence.
symptoms,
laboratory
databases,
past
results,
treatment,
health
treatment
records, guidelines,
etc., and to use such data to achieve certain goals as
improved
interpretation
of
imaging,
radiology
accurate results,
diagnosis,
and
even
in
treatment. Artificial Intelligence is perceived by many as still far way, some even think it exists only in sci-fi movies and what most people don’t know is that it is already
here
Intelligence
and
will
in
the
nearest
revolutionize
future,
healthcare.
Artificial In
some
countries, it is already implemented and in use while many countries are still far from attaining that reality. Effectively
implementing
Artificial
Intelligence
in
medicine, just as it is done in other disciplines, will go long
way
in
improving
healthcare
achieving universal health coverage.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Artificial
system to correctly interpret data which include signs,
a
11
Intelligence,
Intelligence in medicine characterizes the ability of a
such The concept of Universal Health Coverage is one that
phase
delivery
and
Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can improve universal health
With
coverage by enabling remote diagnosis of patients in
amounts
rural areas. Certain patients cannot make their way
discovered and certain health needs and problems
to the clinics due to distance or disability; hence, the
specific to a particular population can be deduced.
use of telemedicine facilitated with AI will greatly
This
improve
health
the
treatment
accuracy
plans
guidelines
based
without
of
diagnosis
on
records
the
and
and
physical
provide
treatment
presence
of
the
collation of
will
of
data,
help
drug-drug
health
needs
patient's
records
interactions
professionals
tailored
to
and
that
large
can
be
provide
specific
region,
deduce
appropriate treatment and assist in the formulation of policies for improving public health
healthcare professionals, solving the problem of the inadequate workforce in such areas. It is already in
Another way AI can be used to attain Universal health
use
coverage is by improving diagnosis at health centers.
at
the
Oregon
Health
&
Science
University's
Knight Cancer Institute where it is used to predict the
The
effective cancer treatment option for patients.
effectively
increased
accuracy
predicting
the
of
this
cause
of
technology symptoms
in and
signs for a particular condition will help reduce the Moreover,
Artificial
Intelligence
can
contribute
to
cost of care, reduce mortality due to misdiagnosis,
universal health coverage by providing patients with
identify
necessary health information particularly patients on
become
long-term
centers
therapy.
Diseases
such
as
Diabetes,
certain
disorders
malignant, and
and
reduce
pharmacies
tumors
before
crowding
with
the
use
they
at
health
of
robots,
Hypertension, and Heart failure are some of the major
reduce waiting time and overall improve healthcare
causes of death around the world. They are at high
delivery.
risk in certain populations and the incidence is lower in
some
nature
other
of
populations
their
diet
and
depending general
on
genetics,
lifestyle
of
the
The
future
embrace
it
of or
healthcare be
behind.
Attaining
and
drug
therapy
increase
the
of
their
conditions.
adherence
of
It
will
patients
and
pharmacists-in-training,
principal
Universal
on
management
the
either
Artificial Intelligence in medicine and as pharmacists
non-drug
of
can
health
proper
one
We
help alert individuals at high risk or individuals already on
is
here!
people. The use of AI particularly in mobile apps will
therapy
coverage
left
is
goals
understanding
of
and
also
help
embracing Artificial Intelligence is key to remaining
to
their
relevant in the Phuture of healthcare.
medications.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
12
Exciting Times for Pharmaceutical Management
Exciting Times for Pharmaceutical Management By Punit Solanki - Pharmacist, Group RP - Quality, Phiillips Pharma Group
E: punitsolanki.pharm@gmail.com
How many times have you sat down with some data and made some analysis in school or at work, during your research? Or during a sales or project presentation? What if there was a way that your data could automatically be analyzed and requested for your opinion and decision? Amazing, right? Well, we are not far from those days as globally, we are already in the age of Artificial Intelligence, with many of the multinational organizations that have already integrated it into their IT infrastructure.
Human brains have the capacity to critically think and make decisions, yet we depend on human error and bias prone manual analysis in almost any industry that we can think of. I love artificial intelligence, not that I have used it extensively, but just the thought of the possibilities of the application of AI in our pharmacy field excites me. I always wonder, if I was given an opportunity as a speaker on a related forum, of where would I start and end, since there are countless instances where AI can spearhead our pharmaceutical sector.
13
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Exciting Times for Pharmaceutical Management
I
will
focus
on
engagement
the
since
pharmaceutical
that
is
my
area
supply
of
chain
expertise.
I
currently head quality matters for one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in sub-Saharan Africa by a
common
have
a
name
growing
of
Phillips
presence
Pharmaceuticals,
in
more
than
6
who
African
countries as of date. My job is to ensure the quality of the medicines is of the highest required standard as is the quality of the business operations in all the countries that we represent.
I am sure you may have heard reactive quality that most of the organizations now utilize. For those not familiar, it is reacting to a problem and finding a preventive solution. For example; if your cold chain medicine
supply
was
not
transported
in
the
right
cold chain supplies. That right there is a hallmark of predictive quality.
conditions, you need to critically look at what went wrong and propose a solution that will prevent such an occurrence in the future. It could be that the staff wasn’t trained properly, so you suggest extra training for the staff, or it could be that the gel packs used for transport were not conditioned properly and in this case, you need to enforce the good packaging
Imagine how efficient businesses would be, how safe our
patients
making
would
would
be,
be
if
how
effective
data
analysis
our
decision
and
internal
connections were handled by AI, where our job as humans would be to make decisions based on the outcomes of the AI. There are countless number of ways we can integrate AI into the pharmaceutical
techniques.
supply chain. But why wait for this to happen? Is there a possibility that you could prevent the problem from happening in the first place? We are moving towards preventive or so-called predictive quality in our organizations. This
would
require
the
transport
data
being
monitored for all cold chain supplies regularly even if there has not been any problem or complaint. How would this be incorporated? This is where artificial intelligence
comes
in.
You
could
assign
the
same
duty to human staff but this would introduce human risk and intention bias on the results; the results of
Imagine this, in the public medicine supplies by the National Medical Stores, stock utilization data from the
district
hospitals
and
would
regional
medical
automatically
prompt
centers the
and
national
stores' procurement department to order a certain amount from certain supplier through a certain route, where the human would only be required to provide approval
since
information, with
the
the
AI
would
understands
supplier,
has
the
know
previous
already
the
supplier
experiences
calculated
on
the
prospective basis the amount of medicine needed
which are used to make critical decisions.
and understands the lead times from experience. It So putting things into perspective, you would want your AI engine to monitor temperature data for all your cold chain supplies, and alert you on any chance of a predictive problem, example: it could monitor and
analyze
all
available
data,
and
give
you
an
intimation that maybe you are experiencing slightly higher temperatures than the last year, coupled with the information AI retrieved from the human resource software, that there has been a new staff on the ground
for
cold
chain
which
could
be
a
probable cause of the this so check on that before
would even prompt the procurement of any donation or liquidations that can be arranged in advance from the history of stock positions in the Medical Stores. I understand the layperson would not understand or ever come face to face with the AI machine, but they would definitely see that their medicines are being stocked efficiently at public hospitals and medicine counters, which in turn will improve their medicine compliance and play a major role in the achievement of universal health for all agenda for the sustainable development goals 2030.
we reach out of specification temperatures for our IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
14
Artificial Intelligence in R & D of New Medicine
15
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Artificial Intelligence in R & D of New Medicine
Artificial Intelligence in R & D of New Medicine By Nayituriki Thierry - RPSA, Rwanda
E: nayiturikithierry@gmail.com
Drug
discovery
and
drug
development
is
a
very
Nowadays,
world-leading
biopharmaceutical
lengthy process that takes between 10 to 15 years. It
biotechnology
is one of the processes where you get more failures
significant
than success. It takes more than 2.6 billion US dollars
companies to implement AI use in drug discovery. For
to develop a new drug and bring it to the market to
instance, Pfizer is using IBM Watson, to improve its
address specific types of unmet patient needs and
search for immune-oncology drugs. Sanofi has signed
that is after the molecule has passed different tests
a
including animals. There is a 92% failure rate when it
intelligence
goes into humans after the molecule has been tested
disease therapies and, Novartis is using an AI system
in animals and therefore, this makes the process not
from Microsoft company in its AI innovation lab to
only lengthy but also risky.
empower
deal
companies
deals
to
use
with
UK
(AI)
begun
to
sign
Artificial-Intelligence
Start-up
platform
and
transformative
have
and
Exscientia’s
to
hunt
accelerate medicines
for
(AI)
artificialmetabolic
discoveries
for
patients.
of Most
Furthermore, human biology is a very complex aspect
advanced biopharmaceutical companies have similar
during
collaborations.
drug
development
because
even
after
sequencing the entire human genome, only a small fraction of human biology is understood. There are
This cutting-edge AI system is inevitable since it is
more than forty trillions of cells in the human body
showing promising imperative inputs in drug discovery
and above one trillion molecules in each cell. This
including
complexity is astonishing. All these challenges that
compound
are
reproducibility which results in quicker, cheaper and
encountered
Development
(R
during
&
D)
biopharmaceutical finding
new
of
the
a
new
industries
ways
to
address
Research drug
think
have
and made
differently
those
problems.
but
not
testing
limited and
to;
acceleration
improved
accuracy
of and
most-effective drug discovery.
in The
AI
in
drug
discovery
is
becoming
increasingly
unprecedented approach of using AI in reimagining
important since it is solving those diseases with unmet
R&D of new drugs was the solution.
needs. For instance, untold opportunities lie in the treatment development for those patients with rare
Recent
advances
in
artificial
intelligence
(AI)
may
diseases.
However,
drug
will
researchers
Machine
and
applies some automation (Robots). It is in this regard
identifying
they need to be familiar with AI and acquire some set
drug
targets,
libraries,
in
help
several
finding
providing
drug
ways
good
discovery
including; molecules
suggestions
of
from
data
those
discovery
improve pharmaceutical R&D of a new drug. AI and
including
to
in
bring
learning
challenges
AI
help in changing the narrative and accelerate and
development
also
using
pharmacists
early-career
since
AI
system
of skills to meet tomorrow’s job market.
chemical
modification, clinical trials and so on.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
16
The Merge Between Infotech and Biotech
The
Merge
Between
Infotech
and
Biotech: A Call to Revise Pharmacy Education By Castory Munishi - TAPSA, Tanzania
E: castorymunishi@outlook.com
We start the second decade of the 21st century, living in the fourth industrial revolution whose  one of the cardinal features is the merge between information technology and biotechnology. The thin line that once separated these technologies blurs as they move towards a convergence. Both technologies are growing at a very rapid rate, nothing like any of the previous industrial revolutions, all of which had a huge impact on the development and nature of work of the human society. So this begs the question: how will these rapidly growing 4th industrial revolution technologies affect how we work? Specifically, for pharmacists? Is the current education preparing us to remain relevant in the coming years?
17
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
The Merge Between Infotech and Biotech
Information technology is the use of computers to
People frequently google their medications and side
store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data which
effects
current
information is easily and readily available now more
rapidly
developing
areas
like
artificial
as
well
making.
these
remain relevant at the time when a person can send
technologies are growing and disrupting every sector
their e-prescription via their mobile phone to get the
including healthcare of which pharmacists are one of
packaged
the
important
with the instructions on usage being well described
question as to whether the skills that we learn today
through their mobile phone applications via a virtual
in our pharmacy schools will remain relevant in the
assistant like google assistant that provides the latest
next
key
stakeholders.
20
years
This
rapidly
generates
considering
that
an
the
medications
via
an
this
the
pharmacists? What should we do for our services to
how
does
as
than
witnessed
What
interactions,
reality to name but a few, use the results in decision have
before.
drug
intelligence, machine learning, big data, and virtual
We
ever
as
mean
ATM-like
for
pharmacy
digital
information from recent publications concerning the
technologies rapidly penetrating into the healthcare
medication? What will be our role then? Are we well
are not an integral part of our current training.
prepared for that?
Take an example, if you want to automate pharmacy
Technology is a tool as was the hoe in the agricultural
services
revolution where people learned to use it well enough
who
is
in
a
better
position
to
do
so?
A
pharmacist who can write code and works well with
to
massively
pro-coders or a pharmacist who knows nothing about
society
coding and instructs coders on what the automated
our skills, we cannot master the use of this tool well
pharmacy should be like?
enough to improve our services and catch up with the rest
produce
forever.
of
the
As
that
pharmacists,
world.
With
without
skills
upgrading
comes
transformations
years Human Genome Project in 2003 that mapped
development,
the genes in the human genome which is estimated
shown to have a huge potential in speeding up the
to have over 3 billion base pairs, leading to the rapid
drug discovery from 10 – 12 years by a factor of 15
growth of fields like genomics, pharmacogenomics,
which could reduce cost and save time. For example,
proteomics, metabolomics and all the other ‘-omics’.
in
These technologies generate huge amounts of data
had been well equipped with digital skills, probably
on
we could have been in a position to come up with a
which
information
proper
analysis
technologies
requires
like
big
the
data
use
of
analytics,
in
areas
like
artificial
COVID-19
drug
by
an
rapid rate and catalyzed by the completion of the 13
as
relevant
human
opportunity
current
stay
new
changed
On the other arm, biotechnology is growing at quite a
the
to
food
discovery
intelligence
pandemic,
making
if
has
and been
pharmacists
COVID cure and vaccine fast enough.
machine learning, and deep learning. This is where these technologies merge and together, they have
Times are changing and we are required to change
the potential to revolutionize the health sector and
with it to remain relevant and protect our profession.
particularly
An advantage of the current era is that we do not
fulfilling
the
promise
of
personalized
medicine.
need to wait for a syllabus review to upgrade our skills. All that is required is know is the skill you would
These technologies are already in action. Companies
like
like Cytosolve use computers for the drug discovery
assistance from learning websites and applications
and
development
and
start
learning
them
with
insilico
like Harvardx, Edx, Linkedin Learning, Udemy, iLearn among many others. Take action today, the future is
intelligence
already here. You will need a complex set of skills in
drug
through
upgrade
mechanistic modeling. Insilico Medicine uses artificial for
process
to
discovery,
development, and aging research.
biomarker
order to remain relevant.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
18
AI in Reducing Pharma's Carbon Footprint
AI in Reducing Pharma's Carbon Footprint
By Esther Kisanga - Editor, IPSF AfRO Bloggers Group 2019-20
E: editorial.afrobloggers@gmail.com
Climate change has brought an array of health challenges. Such challenges include respiratory illnesses, a surge in the transmission of vector and waterborne diseases, and allergies. According to WHO, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 deaths per year between 2030 and 2050; 38 000 due to heat exposure in elderly people, 48 000 due to diarrhea, 60 000 due to malaria, and 95 000 due to childhood under nutrition.
These challenges have provided the pharmaceutical industry with an opportunity to develop drugs directed towards tackling emerging diseases and the disease pattern shift. However, the industry’s current practice in production, storage, and transport still heavily relies on fossil fuel energy. The pharmaceutical industry is significantly more emission-intensive than the automotive industry, producing about 52 megatons of carbon dioxide in 2015, which is 6 megatons more than the carbon dioxide generated by the automotive sector in the same year. These emissions comprise of carbon dioxide arising from fossil fuel combustion used to produce electricity, methane and nitrous oxide from agricultural processes, hydrofluorocarbons, and other man-made halocarbons. Without reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to arrive at a carbon-neutral state, the industry remains culprit in the very problem it is trying to solve.
19
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
AI in Reducing Pharma's Carbon Footprint
Countries and pharmaceutical industries have been
AI
quick
equipment used in the factory where a twin digital
to
understand
the
overall
effects
of
climate
can
facilitate
net-zero
have
assistance
GHG
unwanted scenarios such as leaks and breakdowns as
created
policies
such
as
Governments
carbon
tax
and
emissions trading. Industries are adopting alternative
well
low
conducting
carbon
sources
hydropower expand
as
well
energy
achieved
a
of
energy
as
investing
efficiency.
carbon
such
neutral
as
in
and
research
Biogen state
solar
has
while
to
as
of
AI
in
use
systems
virtually
test
them
to
out
which
is
created
identify
new
with
of
model
emissions.
equipment
maintenance
change and have taken initiatives towards achieving carbon
of
predictive
and
prevent
processes
accumulatively
the
before
increases
energy efficiency.
already
others
like
The drug discovery and development process can be
Novartis and GSK continue to work towards that goal.
made
However,
supervised learning and thermal imaging systems to
as
emissions
continue
to
increase,
more
innovation and collective efforts are required.
energy-efficient
through
the
use
of
AI
identify catalysts and chemical reactions that reduce carbon emissions from these chemical processes as
In
the
age
of
Artificial
Intelligence
Learning
(ML)
and
research
and
development
industry
is
being
related
(AI),
emerging the
technologies,
pharmaceutical
energy-efficient by analysis of already available data and optimization of routes. Emissions can be reduced
lead compounds and suitable drug targets. But amid
by the use of electro fuels, solar fuels, hydrogen or
the climate crisis, we now seek to know how these
biofuels which are developed with the assistance of
technologies can be directed towards achieving net-
ML techniques.
analysis,
quick
immensely
With the help of AI and ML, transport can be made
of
data
forward
well as the energy consumed in production.
by
accelerating
pushed
in
Machine
identification
zero carbon emissions in the industry. The
application
A report from PwC and Microsoft shows that using AI
cultivation
of
could reduce
reductions
in
worldwide
GHG
emissions
by
4%
in
of
agricultural
pharmaceutical GHG
emissions
robotics
crops as
in
can
they
the
achieve
reduce
fuel
2030, with AI applications in energy estimated to cut
usage. AI tools can be used to plan land-use which
down emissions up to 2.2% and those in transport
reduces fossil emissions as the tools optimize the use
reducing emissions up to 1.7%.
of,
and
helps
forests.
protect,
These
natural
applications
resources
such
minimize
as
effects
The overproduction of pharmaceutical products, as a
associated with the overuse of water and fertilizers
result
(a source of nitrous oxide emissions). RIPPA, a robot
of
the
misestimating
of
demand,
is
a
major
source of emissions as energy is consumed for the
designed
production
acres
and
storage
of
excess
products
in
specifically
per
day
for
agriculture,
performing
can
mechanical
cover
5
weeding,
temperature-controlled environments. Production can
targeted pesticide application and vacuuming all the
be
while
optimized
intelligently
with
AI
predicting
identifying
low-carbon
production
of
drugs
to
reduce
supply
and
products
and
their
emissions demand
suited
precursors.
by and
for
the
AI
can
collecting
datasets
for
improvement
of
the
system.
The
role
of
AI
and
complementary
technologies
is
reduce overall electricity consumption by improving
increasingly being seen as critical to decarbonize the
the efficiency of factories’ heating, ventilation, and
pharmaceutical industry and tackle climate change.
air conditioning systems through techniques such as
In order for AI to yield better results, collaboration
image recognition, and time delay neural networks,
between players in the industry will help to broaden
as well as redesigning industrial processes to run on
and deepen AI as a solution to reducing the industry’s
low carbon power instead of fossil fuels.
carbon footprint. By sharing of already available and massive
datasets
that
are
owned
individually
by
companies on various production methods, transport routes,
and
energy
sources,
AI
can
reach
its
full
potential in saving the planet.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
20
Effective Healthcare Through AI Induced Transformation
Effective Healthcare
AI Induced Transformation By Hope Mashavakure - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
E: hmashavakure@gmail.com
The intervention of computers in pharmacy practice has eradicated, problems.
significantly,
Artificial
data
Intelligence
and
number
uses
related
algorithms
and
software to approximate human cognition in the analysis of complex medical data. The use of computer systems in pharmacy practice, which started around 1980, has played a very big role in data and information storage management such as patient medical history and the stock of medicines. The pharmacy profession has been made
more
effective
and
more
efficient
due
to
simplified health care measures.
Artificial Intelligence refers to the art and science of developing computer and related systems so that they can do tasks normally requiring human intelligence such as visual perception and decision making. The future of Artificial Intelligence is very bright as far as Pharmacy practice is concerned.
Artificial Intelligence can influence and shift the focus of many pharmacists from dispensing towards providing a
wider
range
of
patient
care
services.
This
is
an
opportunity for pharmacists to collaborate across various ways for attending to the same patient. The application of AI in pharmacy practice will improve the workflow efficiency
and
lower
the
operating
costs
whilst
promoting the accuracy in various pharmacy settings.
21
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Effective Healthcare through AI Induced Transformation
Artificial Intelligence can also be applied in clinical and hospital pharmacy sectors as it reduces the errors encountered during drug therapy outcomes. AI is used in clinical pharmacy to predict the treatment outcomes and risks, for example, predicting and preventing an opioid overdose by using the patient’s electronic medication history.
AI
can
use
algorithms
to
estimate
the
overdose
risk
result
thereby
predicting
the
potential
risk
of
unintentional overdose from an opioid prescription. AI also plays a very important role in delivering personalized health care to patients and also personalized communication through emailed systems.
Artificial
Intelligence
has
been
applied
in
many
sectors
of
pharmacy including the pharmaceutical industry. AI is applied in research work to find new active pharmaceutical ingredients and the development of already existing medicinal regimens due to a variety of data set that is involved in drug design. Some companies now already possess software of great importance as they can predict treatment outcomes. Some supercomputers are being used in
pharmaceutical
industries
by
researchers
to
track
the
development of drugs and the systems can calculate and model solutions in a much faster and better way.
The potential of Artificial Intelligence to impact the drug discovery process is very high. In the earlier process of drug discovery, there is
a
lot
of
initial
screening
of
the
active
pharmaceutical
ingredients, to predict the success rate of the drug.
Artificial
Intelligence
may
also
play
a
vital
role
in
drug
target
identification
and
validation,
target-based,
phenotypic, and multi-target drug discoveries, drug repurposing, and biomarker identification.
The implementation of Artificial Intelligence for drug trials could reduce the time it takes for a drug to get approval and reach the market, consequently reducing the overall cost. AI may serve a lot of purposes in the pharmaceutical industry such as conducting repetitive tasks such as data entry & lab test analysis, thereby clearing up time to focus on more urgent or complex tasks and to interact with patients.
Artificial
Intelligence
has
great
potential
to
influence
the
pharmacy sector. The use of drones to deliver medicines is one of the safest and fastest ways to supply medicines during disease outbreaks. For example, in China, the Terra Drone is being
used
with
some
aerial
vehicles
to
transport
medical
samples between Xinchang Country’s Disease Control Centre and
the
People`s
Hospital
during
the
ongoing
COVID-19
pandemic. The application and future of Artificial Intelligence and data science have been very critical in helping countries to effectively deal with outbreaks.
In
conclusion,
Pharmacists
who
fail
to
appreciate
Artificial
Intelligence are more likely to develop a radical attitude to its implementation
as
they
might
see
it
as
a
threat
to
their
employment. The only good is the knowledge and the bad is ignorance.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
22
Engaging in Personal Branding: Social Media as a Pharmacy Student
Engaging in Personal Branding
Good Use of Social Media as a Pharmacy Student
By Melody Okerere - IPSF AfRO Blogger 2019-20
E: melokereke30@gmail.com
Have you ever tried to search your name on Google to see what the world knows about you? When you Google yourself, what pops up? Are you happy or discouraged with the results? These results are the first impression people will have of you. Is it a good one? Is the information you are sharing across your social media sites consistent with your career objectives or personal goals as a future healthcare provider? When you begin to apply for scholarships, jobs, or other professional opportunities, chances are scholarship review committees or recruiters are going to Google you to learn more about who you really are. This will affect the outcome of your application. The question is, do you want to allow your social media to damage your future or career opportunities? With the proliferation of social media and the gig economy, it has become essential for pharmacy students to embrace personal branding.
23
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Engaging in Personal Branding: Social Media as a Pharmacy Student
Why is Personal Branding and Good Use of Social Media Necessary? Jeff
Bezos,
the
founder
of
Amazon,
is
famously
quoted as saying, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” The term “branding” used to be reserved for businesses, but with
the
advent
economy,
of
social
personal
fundamental.
A
sites
branding
personal
and
the
has
brand
is
gig
become a
unique
combination of skills and experiences that make you
However, it can be difficult to craft a professional digital brand while simultaneously using social media for personal pleasure or fulfillment. In as much as some pharmacy students use social media for trends, personal pleasure or fun, tweeting or sharing stuff that promotes patient well-being, and advocating for high standards of patient care can help shape one’s brand. As pharmacy students, we will all spend our careers in an increasingly digital world. We should capitalize
on
the
opportunity
that
social
media
provides.
who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world. Effective personal branding will differentiate you from the competition and allow you to build trust with prospective clients and employers. According to a 2018 Career Builder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and 43% of employers use social media to check
on
current
employees.
study
of
pharmacy
Results
residency
from
program
a
2010
directors
revealed that among residency directors who viewed social
media
profiles
of
applicants,
48%
said
the
content affected, either positive or negative, on the
While
having
developing
a
a
good
online
personal
presence
brand
is
doesn’t
great, happen
overnight. We all need to start from somewhere; it’s not rocket science or pharmacology. It’s easy! You do not need to be a celebrity to have a personal brand. It’s just a matter of continually crafting and curating your
digital
transparency,
presence; and
be
real!
authenticity
Your are
honesty,
what
will
differentiate you from your peers in the long-run. You never get a second chance to make a first impression —make it one that will set you apart, build trust, and reflect who
applicant’s selection.
you really are. Early this year, I applied for a research internship at the
International
Pharmaceutical
Federation
(FIP),
and through my Google and LinkedIn search alerts, I discovered that my name was searched on Google mostly from The Hague, Netherlands (this is where the headquarters
of
the
International
Pharmaceutical
Federation is situated). I was pretty sure that I had given off a good online reputation as I had a good social media presence; I got the internship. This is an ingredient of personal branding. When social media is part of the hiring equation, it can become a deciding factor for the benefit of candidates with a strong digital brand.
Approximately 74% of adults who use the Internet use social media sites, leaving more than a quarter who have not yet established a social media presence. However, among
social
media
pharmacy
population,
a
either
use
don’t
use
appears
students
significant social
than
percentage
media
or
to
be
higher
the
general
of
students
consider
deleting
Whether you know it or not, as a pharmacy student, you have a personal brand.
their online presence as a result of potential negative consequences.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
24
iRobot
iRobot By Babatunde Yusuf Olalekan - PANS, Nigeria
E: yusufbabs916@gmail.com
Artificial intelligence! A daring new frontier Establishing human like behaviors Doing us all a special favor Who wouldn’t want a virtual medical assistant? To help narrow down the cause of an ailment Also giving adequate care being a provident And backing it up with a written statement An iRobot! Made to solve the world’s complexities Talk about individualizing health care Mangling methodology through tangled technicalities A colossal number of casualties Due to the global outrage of maladies Creating a new era for change To turn our dreams into realities 25
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Regional Working Group: The Superheroes
Regional Working Group 2019-20
Purity Wambui
Othniel Nimbabazi
Chairperson
Immediate Past Chairperson
E: chairperson@afro.ipsf,org
E: onimbabazi@gmail.com
Nzeribe Emmanuella
Iyke Udenze
Elton V. F. Decker
Regional Relations Officer
Secretary
Regional Media and Publications Officer
E: rro@afro.ipsf.org
E: secretary@afro.ipsf.org
E: rmpo@afro.ipsf.org
Lilian Muthoni
Malatji Thabang Owen
Regional Projects Officer
Chairperson, 9th IPSF AfPS Reception Committee
E: rpo@afro.ipsf.org
E: afps@afro.ipsf.org IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
26
Interprofessional Teamwork in Healthcare
Interprofessional Teamwork in Healthcare By Nzeribe Emmanuella - IPSF AfRO Regional Relations Officer 2019-20
E:rro@afro.ipsf.org
In a successful team, everyone is relied on to successfully execute his or her very unique role. For instance, in the game of Soccer, there are the midfielders, the defenders, the strikers. If the team was made up of just the goal scorers, the other aspect of the game will be ignored and the team will be weak. Teams in healthcare consist of the pharmacists, the physicians, the lab scientists, the nurses, the nutritionists, the physiotherapists, and the medical psychologists with each expert adding a specific value and creating a collective synergy to make sure the patient’s needs are met. Not forgetting that there can be an ‘overlap’ in the performing of roles which is why a defender can strike when the need arises.
One key strategy for healthcare reform in our world is Improved Healthcare Collaboration. Without any pint of doubt; collaboration in healthcare has been shown to improve patient outcomes such as ensuring rational use of medicines, optimizing medication dosages, reducing both morbidity and mortality rates.
27
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
Interprofessional Teamwork in Healthcare
More so this shift is becoming evident in education around the world; where there is the incorporation of interprofessional based learning activities, and events collaboration at the student level are all ongoing.
Teams offer the potential to achieve more than any person could achieve working alone; yet particularly in teams that span professional boundaries. Interprofessional team-based care has been demonstrated to improve the quality of care and outcomes of patients with chronic illnesses. Teamwork may also reduce costs and improve care coordination for primary healthcare organizations and enhance job satisfaction among health professionals. Among the workers, there is work satisfaction as well as improved communication.
However,
there
may
be
challenges
which
I
believe
should
be
surmountable
such
as
lack
of
training
on
interprofessional collaboration, unequal participation in decision making, overlapping roles. Amidst all of these, we all understand that the patient’s health is the most paramount and here, the benefits of collaboration outweigh the low health outcome of the patient. In order for the interprofessional team to work effectively, there is a need to address both the structure and the process of the team at several levels. The patient‘s health comes first.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
28
COVID-19: People Are Good
People Are Good
By Laila Kasumba - IPSF AfRO RMPO Subcommittee 2019-20
E: lailakasumba9@gmail.com
On the 19th of December, 2019, China reported its first case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019). Since then, the disease has spread rapidly across the globe. Four months later, there are approximately 2,500,000 infected persons, with over 150,000 having succumbed to the disease.
Despite the dire situation, there have been many instances of people coming together to do what they can to help and support their fellow man. The pandemic has, in more ways than one, brought together different people from different walks of life. We all need love, support and encouragement at this time; we must provide the same for each other.
The government of Kenya, towards the end of March, announced a deficit in the number of ventilators available for the management of COVID-19 patients. In response, a group of students from Kenyatta University got together and worked tirelessly to make a ventilator prototype. The group of sixteen comprised of students from the Schools of Pharmacy, Medicine, and Engineering. With the support of the university and their lecturers, they were able to unveil their prototype made from locally sourced materials on the 11th of April. The students were confident that, following approval, it would be possible to manufacture fifty ventilators every week. This would put a large dent in the nation’s deficit.
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IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
COVID-19: People Are Good
In Virginia, USA, a 13-year-old boy by the name Charles Randolph
started
making
protective
masks
by
3-D
printing. He was motivated to do so upon realizing that some
individuals,
like
his
uncle
who
needs
a
heart
transplant, were at higher risk of Coronavirus infection. He has been printing the masks and giving them out for free! Similarly, Rudra Nakade, a 15-year-old boy from the United Kingdom, has been 3-D printing protective visors.
He
has
been
donating
these
to
NHS
health
workers after learning that they had limited access to protective gear. Rudra has been receiving donations to help him scale up production.
Globally, people have been showing up to support the healthcare workers who have been at the forefront in the fight against Corona. In Madrid, for example, people stepped out onto their balconies to applaud doctors, pharmacists and nurses for their service. This happened on the 15th of March, during the lockdown. David Beckham, a renowned football player, along with other football stars, is participating in a #WeWillWin FIFA campaign to applaud the essential workers helping the fight against the pandemic.
As
the
Director-General
of
the
World
Health
Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus put it,
“We're
not
just
fighting
an
epidemic;
we’re
fighting an infodemic.” There has been a lot of negative news constantly being put out and taken in
the
last
four
months.
This
has
proven
to
be
overwhelming for many. In response, individuals are choosing to put out only positive news, such as
Some
Good
News
with
Jon
Krasinski
on
YouTube and goodnewsnetwork.org.
With most of us having never lived through such a crisis, many find their mental health at risk. Cases of anxiety and depression due to the pandemic are sure to rise. Thankfully, the number of online resources tailored to help us cater to our mental health
is
also
increasing.
From
webinars
on
mental health (such as those offered by IPSF AfRO to informative YouTube videos and forwarded WhatsApp messages; information on how to take care of ourselves mentally is within reach.
Each of us can add some positivity in our own way. This starts, first and foremost, by practising correct measures to keep ourselves and those around us healthy: washing our hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; sanitizing our hands when we cannot wash them; coughing or sneezing into the elbow; ensuring we do not touch our faces and maintaining social distancing.
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
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TAPSA Conducts Symposium on AI
TAPSA Conducts Symposium to Discuss AI in Solving Healthcare Challenges By Esther Kisanga & Castory Munishi - TAPSA, Tanzania
Tanzania (TAPSA),
Pharmaceutical in
collaboration
Students with
Association
other
students’
challenges, and
a
panel
socializing. an
It
discussion,
was
option
shown that
and that
will
networking AI
can
augment
be
professional organizations in Tanzania, hosted its
considered
the
first-ever Students Symposium for Debate on April
current capacity to handle healthcare challenges
24th, 2019.
but it is not an absolute solution as it is still in its infancy.
The Symposium, hosted at Muhimbili University of Health
and
gathered
Allied
over
Sciences
400
in
students,
Dar-es-Salaam, experts,
and
The
symposium,
continue exchange
and
through
of
artificial
intelligence
in
an
facilitating
professionals interested in fundamental advances applications
now
of
ideas
emerging
discussions in
improving
technologies
to
and
the
healthcare innovations
with
pharmacists should start to prepare and adapt
presentations,
a
well-
structured debate on whether or not AI could be
these
the answer to solving Tanzania healthcare
positive impact.
new
healthcare
and
aims
and
addresses,
the
event,
healthcare. It featured a four-hour event, filled keynote
how
annual
technologies
stakeholders
that
they
like
create
Panelists of the Students Symposium for Debate along
Debate participants awarded by Infinix following an
with the President of Tanzania Pharmaceutical
active and very engaging debate session
Students Association (TAPSA), Castory Munishi (standing far right)
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IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
a
TAPSA Conducts Symposium on AI
Students from various universities listening to presentations on projects integrating AI in their innovations to improve healthcare in Tanzania
Following the symposium, a 24-hour hackathon was conducted from June 15th to 16th June 2019 to allow innovative students to develop AI-based solutions to selected healthcare challenges in Tanzania. Example of projects developed includes an AI-based diagnostic supportive system, an integrated health medical record that could learn from patient’s data, and a chatbot to assist individuals facing mental health challenges. The winning teams were allowed to pitch during the MUHAS Annual Scientific Conference where one team was announced the overall winner. Some of the other developed ideas applied for global competitions like the Hultz Prize and are currently undergoing further development.
Students undergoing training during the hackathon
A Team discussing product development
IPSF AfRO Newsletter 14
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