The role of the pharmacist in the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS: an exploratory study of the establishment of AIDS Resource Centres in pharmacies

Objective The magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, particularly its rapid growth and the inability of existing health structures to respond to the rising needs for treatment, has had a profound impact on South African society. The epidemic has specifically affected the healthcare services, in that it calls for greater involvement of all health professionals, including pharmacists. There is undoubtedly potential for community pharmacists to be involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, and the fact that many community pharmacies already have private areas for consultation and a designated professional to offer advice renders them an ideal space for these activities. The objective of the study was to explore the role played by pharmacists in the prevention and management of the epidemic. Methods The paper synthesises data from three sources: documentary analysis of official reports; a telephone survey of 112 community pharmacies in Johannesburg; and interviews with three key informants from pharmaceutical organisations and pharmacists involved with the governmental anti‐retroviral programme. Key findings The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) and the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA) embarked on the process of establishing AIDS Resource Centres in pharmacies. Six months later 55% of the pharmacists interviewed had heard about it and 33% of these knew very little about it. The SAPC and the PSSA have developed strict criteria for the accreditation of pharmacists and AIDS Resource Centres, so that the consumer can be assured of a high quality of service. At the time of the survey, 40% of pharmacists said they intended to apply for accreditation at this stage. Most pharmacists (82%) reported that they were already involved in some HIV/AIDS‐related activities, without having acquired additional training and specific accreditation. This paper analyses pharmacists' readiness and ability to develop these services and discusses possible barriers to successful implementation of the programme. Conclusion The HIV/AIDS epidemic generally, and in South Africa in particular, poses challenges for all health professionals. This paper demonstrates the willingness of the professional pharmacy establishment in South Africa to co‐operate with the government in order to confront the epidemic and respond to national needs; it also highlights the potential difficulties inherent in the process. Given the nature of the epidemic in South Africa, pharmacy is potentially in a position to rise to the challenges presented and place itself at the centre of the professional team. However the findings of this study show that achieving this will require substantial adjustments in pharmacists' practice, good communication skills between pharmacists and their customers, and considerable goodwill among pharmacists on the ground.