Authors : Fathi M Sherif
DOI : 10.5281/zenodo.7115078
Volume : 2
Issue : 3
Year : 2022
Page No : 1-2
In Libya, pharmacy education and practice have a similar pattern to medical education and practice. Both sectors of public and private pharmacy education and pharmacy practice still significantly unchanged for more than forty years. It is a traditional pharmacy style of education and practice with a limited change of education and practice. Now, there are more than ten public pharmacy colleges and more than five private colleges established in Libya for a population of seven millions. In addition, there are several intermediate pharmacy institutes which provide a middle degree in pharmacy practice with a very limited knowledge in pharmaceutical sciences and training. Practice of pharmacy in Libya is still a classical mode with only dispensing medicines directly in almost a nonprofessional way and an old fashion way. However, the situation is old and complicated that needs a great deal of attention from different health policymakers and authorities such as Ministry of High Education and Ministry of Health, National Pharmaceutical Union and Libyan Association for Pharmacists. Historically, before 1980, all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians graduated from abroad mainly Egypt, Italy, Greece and England. Pharmacists in public sector (Ministry of Health MoH, hospitals and clinics) and private sector (National Pharmaceutical Company, NPC, Pharmacy stores) were mostly non-Libyan and few were Libyan pharmacists who worked in administration places such as MoH and NPC. First University College was established in middle of 1970s in Tripoli based on five academic years schedule of teaching (1 + 4) with a capacity of students' entry (50 students) selected from different regions of Libya. A great support by Ministry of Education was given to the college to educate and qualify the student to be a pharmacist with an international education and practice standards. In 1980, the first graduated Libyan pharmacists (n = 32, 16 F & 16 M) have well been trained (courses in Libya, England and Sweden) to be professional in pharmacy practice, drug quality control and pharmaceutical industry. Programs of syllabus and staff-members were of international supported by professional examiners to keep the high standard output. The teaching core was based on based on international cooperation of highly standard visitors from known universities. This was supported by building facilities of high standard college constructed in the middle of 1980s. It is the most beautiful building in the world with standards and international style for teaching and research facilities. Other were established in Benghazi (1990s), Zawia and Misrrata (2000s) of same teaching style but with a limited facilities. In other Libyan geographical cities (Ghomes, Derna, Tubraq, Zelitin, Gharian & Subrata) colleges were established recently but with low facilities and messy plan. Teaching and training in Pharmacy College aimed to award a Bachelor degree of Pharmaceutical Sciences based on requests such as university, basic sciences and college requirements of specialized courses. The graduated student has pharmaceutical sciences which makes him/her to work as pharmacist in clinical sectors or in other sectors of quality control, industry or research. The pharmaceutical courses are pharmacology and toxicology, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical industry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy. A 165 credit hours of teaching and training are needed for degree. So far, almost 5000 students were passed from University of Tripoli only, with 100 staff-teaching members involved in teaching and training. Instead, postgraduate pharmaceutical studies leading to Master Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences was started in 1999 in pharmacology with two years program. Pharmacognosy, microbiology, pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry have also involved in postgraduate program. The total number of students granted a high Degree was 100 till now in Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutics. The degree was based on two stages of two years (specific and advanced courses and research part). Recently, other professional degrees in clinical pharmacy practice have also been started in Libya by different authorities such as LIMU, Postgraduate Academy, Libyan Medical Board and Arab board to train the pharmacist as a professional in clinical pharmacy practice and hospital pharmacy, some leading to Pharm D. However, these programs are still ongoing and are new with providing a specific training courses for specialty (pharmacist specialist) to service the patient and community as a new pharmacist role in Libyan community and health services [1, 2]. A clear national strategy for continuous pharmacy education (CED) of pharmacist by health authorities to improve practice in private or public sectors is absent. However, the role and job of pharmacist in Libyan healthcare system is an old-style. So far, no authority has asked or wanted to be responsible for CED. A limited individual short courses, workshops, meetings and conferences on pharmaceutical sciences and practice are randomly running by Union, Association and sometimes with medical universities. These activities are not well-organized and aimed but it provides positive social and scientific environment for pharmacists to interact and discuss professional pharmaceutical problems in Libya. Most of these activities are generally concentrated about practice and education of pharmacist in community. It consists of lectures which are usually given by senior's pharmacists and university staff to improve drug services for patients and community as well as to develop the role of pharmacist in national health care. Indeed, one established program of CPE is Annual Libyan pharmacy forum which held in April by Libyan Union in April. This forum usually consists of plenary lectures, workshops for practice, industry and quality of university pharmacy education. As it is known everywhere, there is should be a national condition for CPE for registered pharmacist. For example, a national pharmacy board should be implanted in Libya to have a responsibility in CPE [1, 2]. I think now with new clinical pharmacy practice (extended roles and expanded competencies), it is the right time to implant such a national strategy in Libya.