The theme of World Pharmacists Day 2024 on 25 September will be ‘Pharmacists: meeting global health needs’, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has announced.

Part of FIP’s efforts to showcase the crucial role of pharmacists as integral members of healthcare systems, the campaign will celebrate the profession and remind decision-makers and the public of pharmacists’ specific expertise and the contributions they make to improving global health.

The World Pharmacists Day 2024 theme aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal three, which focuses on achieving universal health coverage; ending epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, combatting other communicable diseases; and reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.

FIP has highlighted pharmacists’ roles in many of these areas, such as participating in research and the development of new medicines, leading in pharmacovigilance, ensuring antibiotics are used only when needed, and implementing greener ways of working to address the impact of climate change on health.

Commenting on the upcoming campaign, Paul Sinclair, president of FIP, said: ‘The pharmacy profession has achieved so much in improving health and wellbeing. FIP’s World Pharmacists Day is an opportunity to celebrate these successes but also to advocate our profession’s value and further potential in meeting health needs and addressing health challenges.

‘FIP’s work is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, providing key tools such as the FIP Development Goals to support the profession and facilitate progress in all countries and territories so that we can reach our full potential.’

FIP is encouraging pharmacists to take part in the campaign, with further information and resources available.

Mr Sinclair added: ‘With FIP’s World Pharmacists Day campaign, our united voice has gotten louder each year and our reach wider. I invite all colleagues to take part in the campaign this year, show their pride in our successes and advocate our profession’s value and further potential in meeting health needs around the world.’

World Pharmacists Day has been led by FIP every year since 2009, and it takes place on 25 September to mark the anniversary of the inception of the organisation in 1912.

In 2023, the theme was ‘Pharmacy strengthening health systems’ and highlighted the vital role pharmacists play in providing expert medicines advice and supporting safe, effective and efficient healthcare for patients.

A version of this article was first published by our sister title Hospital Pharmacy Europe