NewsletterAfRO

African Regional Office

International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation

Colors of Africa #1june 2011

African Regional Office

1st AfRO Newsletter

IPSF AfRO

IPSF African Regional Office (AfRO) was born in the 54th IPSF Annual Congress held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in 1st-11th August 2008 when its establishment was voted in as a way of tackling the importance of decentralizing IPSF work in the region. The first AFRO Regional Working Group (RWG) comprised of the Chairperson; Bedan Maina (NUPSA, Kenya), Secretary; David Kulemela (COMPSA, Malawi), Regional Projects Officer (RPO); Cassien Havugimana (AEPHAR, Rwanda), Regional Relations Officer (RRO); Jacky Thapelo Maenetja (SAPSF, South Africa), Internal Coordination and Communication Officer (ICCO); Timothy Ekosse (SAPSF, South Africa) and Regional Student Exchange Officer (RSEO); Olatunji Kolawole (PANS,Nigeria).

AfRO was represented at the 55th IPSF Annual Congress held in Bali, Indonesia from 1st -11th August 2009 by Cassien Havugimana (RPO) and Mariita Kizito (MUPSA Contact Person-CP) thanks to the IPSF Development Fund Events Grant.

The current AfRO RWG was appointed at the 56th IPSF World Congress held in Ljubljana, Slovenia in August 2010.

AfRO is laying foundation for organizing the first ever African Regional Symposium to consolidate the continent’s IPSF participation as well as cement solidarity among AfRO members! This will be preceded by the region’s first ever Leaders in Training (LIT) workshop which aims at sharpening leadership skills of students at the local and global arena. Please visit http://afro.ipsf.org for details.

It is time for AfRO members to arise, unite and make their unshakeable voice heard globally. AfRO RWG humbly requests all to actively dance to the IPSF rhythm and help build a strong AfRO!

2 Introducing the Regional Working Group

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EDITORIAL

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I first became involved in IPSF when I was appointed CP of Nairobi University Pharmacy Students’ Association (NUPSA), Kenya in 2007. Representing Kenya at the 2nd World Healthcare Students’ Symposium in Albuferia, Portugal in November 2007 courtesy of the IPSF Development Fund Events grant was such an eye opener to the magnificent IPSF world. Since then I’ve participated in a number of IPSF events and even represented IPSF in other conferences. As anyone who has had a taste of IPSF would attest, IPSF is like a virus which once you are infected, you can just spread but not eradicate!

On appointment as the Chairperson of AfRO, I felt the immense desire to spread this IPSF spirit to the whole African continent to ensure that all corners can feel it too and that the regions’ voice in IPSF becomes louder than ever before! No man is an island and so I believe we can pull together to bring about the much desired change in the region. The ultimate fruit of active IPSF participation is just so sweet: cementing friendships globally and personal and professional development. I am a living proof of that! Give it a try! See for yourself!

Introducing RWG

Bedan Maina

AfRO Chairperson 2008-2011

Redouane Soulami

AfRO Secretary General 2010-2011

Regional Working Group

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AHLA WA SAHLA (welcome)

Greetings from Algeria! I am Redouane SOUALMI, the Secretary-General of IPSF AfRO 2010-2011.

I am a recent pharmacy graduate from Algiers University.

My involvement with IPSF started this year 2010 when I represented for the first time my country Algeria and our association ASEPA as Official Delegate in 56th IPSF World

congress in Ljubljana – Slovenia where I got completely infected by IPSF spirit.

It’s a pleasure for me to work with the IPSF team, creating outstanding projects, spreading new ideas, and exchanging experiences.

I am looking forward to have good cooperation and support from all members and to try to increase IPSF to the highest level in Africa.

Viva la Pharmacy!

Joseph Oduro Amoako

Regional Relations Officer 2010-2011

Redouane Soulami

AfRO Secretary General 2010-2011

My name is Joseph Oduro Amoako, 23 and a pharmacy intern in Ghana. I served with the Ghana Pharmaceutical Students’ Association as the International Relations officer and Contact Person as well as Student Exchange Officer within IPSF. Indeed it has been a nice time working with IPSF and I enjoy every bit my time with all IPSFers around the globe.

As the AfRO Regional Relations Officer (RRO), I coordinate with the Chair of Internal and External Relations of IPSF to bring on board new members. I also aid in extending our relations with professional bodies within and outside the continent.

I believe is now time for us especially within the African region to share our ideas for the betterment of our future and the future of the continent as a whole. My vision is to help create a new world where people are free to enjoy all benefits especially with health and promote a cordial relationship among the youth especially pharmacy students. Indeed we are the friends of the human race that is why we are beginning to create this among pharmacy students first.

Finally, I would wish that we all contribute our quota to helping create a better world for all. Let us believe in ourselves and continue to have faith in Africa because we have it all to create a new life in future. Love is the key. Let us do everything with unquenching love and care for others. Let us now rise up and be our brother’s keeper.

Long live Pharmacy,

Long live AFRICA! 3

I am Wesley Mugambi, the AFRO Communications and Co-ordinating officer. I am a fourth year student in the University of Nairobi, Kenya, School of pharmacy. I am charged with the responsibility of making AFRO visible and promoting interaction of the members

I am an outgoing and fun loving individual. I enjoy travelling, making new friends and learning. I am passionate about the less privileged in the society. I love reality TV and especially documentaries about great people.

To make my work a success, lets all plug in and share what we know!!!!!!!!!

ASANTE SANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My name is Geofrey Yoram Yambayamba, I am currently a B.Pharm three students at School of Pharmacy St.John’s University of Tanzania. My involvement in IPSF started soon after being appointed as the chairperson of standing committee on local and international relations of Tanzania Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (TAPSA) back in 2008 when I was a first year student. Since then I have been enjoying athe interesting work with the entire family of IPSF worldwide.

Currently even as Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology are improving, there are threats against Pharmacy which negatively impact our enthusiasm, despite of everything we young Pharmacist should never give up, rather we should create an integrated professional community and work hard to achieving our basic principle goal of creating a global society free from Diseases. What so ever God has gifted you with, it is a solution to creating World a better place for living.

As a regional projects officer my responsibilities are not limited to working with the relevant IPSF chairperson of projects that are of the main focus in APRO, to be responsible for promotion of approved Projects decided at the annual Regional Symposium, to chair a subcommittee of members in the Region who will assist in the coordination of IPSF projects.

Wesley Mugambi

Internal Coordination and Communication Officer 2010-2011

Geoffrey Yambayamba

Regional Projects Officer 2010-2011

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Through attending different Pharmaceutical conferences we always open our minds and become even more creative, as we build our professionals.

What should be done to improve our regional projects?

Despite of our cultural diversification, we should be bounded by our professional principles and goals, since we are all aim to create an environment free from diseases which will make the world a better place for living.

Let us create a good, peaceful, and integrated, regional society that will be powered by communications, meetings, symposiums, and experience sharing. Hopefully this will act as a unification force among us.

But above all, we shall be even more close by working on one Annual Specific Focus Goal(s) since at the end of the day, we would be able to come up with a final resolutions regarding particular project(s) which can be shared with other health facilities.

Pharmacy professional in our region face different common problems in common, they include:

• Lack of enough investment.

• High movement of skilled labor.

• Lack of enough skilled personnel.

• Technical standard of production(industrial based)

• Lack of Research and Development laboratories.

• A very competitive market (industrial based)

• Lack of skills for using latest technologies.

See these might be only challenges that may change to as stepping stones towards successful Pharmacy professional within the region, but then the basic principle challenge which is the biggest threat is we young professionals accepting the fact of our ONNESS in creating a feasible solutions for all these problems.

As a regional project officer I believe in team working and experience sharing, I am being very happy working with such a good and cooperative IPSF AFRO team, it is giving me strength to face the challenges we are facing as a region, furthermore I see the dream of bringing International Experience in Our region will not only be a hard dream but also a successful and remarkable step for our region.

Let us work together as a team to achieve our goals and missions.

The Tanzania Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (TAPSA) Guardian Dr Malele addressing the students during Annual conference which held earlier this year.

In this profession, when we fall, we should fall together but then when we shine and raise, we should raise together.

Viva la Pharmacie!!!!!

Geoffrey Yambayamba

Regional Projects Officer 2010-2011

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1. 1st AfRO Leaders In Training (LIT) 4th-6th July 2011, Nairobi, Kenya: http://afro.ipsf.org . Gain invaluable leadership skills by participating in this very exciting training but hurry to send your application before deadline on 25th June 2011. Application forms can be obtained at training@ipsf.org or chairperson@ipsf.org

2. African Pharmaceutical Symposium 7th -9th July 2011, Nairobi, Kenya: http://afro.ipsf.org . Meet fellow AfRO members here and share experiences as we brainstorm on the challenges we face and how to exploit the region’s incredible potential.

3. 11th Commonwealth Pharmacist Association (CPA) Conference 29th May-1st June 2011, Durban, South Africa: http://conference.pssa.org.za/ . An IPSF session will be held during this conference on 31st May 2011 with special motivational speakers, very senior in the profession.

4. 57th IPSF World Congress, 3rd-13th August 2011, Hatyai, Thailand: www.ipsf2011.org . It is to the best interest of AfRO that the region be well represented in this Congress to enhance the African voice so a call is heralded to all AfRO members to ensure they are represented.

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AfRO

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