Impact of COVID-19 on Pharmacy Education

Hajar Bouali, Melody Okereke, Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III

Abstract


Morocco, home to nearly 36 million inhabitants has undergone demographic and epidemiological transitions over the past 50 years. Alongside this transition is the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which has also risen substantially and has contributed remarkably to the rise in the population's need for healthcare services. In order to respond to the increasing healthcare needs of the Moroccan population, it is necessary to ensure that healthcare providers are readily accessible and sufficient. As one of the most accessible healthcare providers, pharmacists are well positioned to address these demands. It is therefore essential to build a competent pharmaceutical workforce in Morocco with a specialized focus on pharmacy education and training. However, the education and training of pharmacy students in the country has been grossly disrupted by the present COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy education in Morocco. The net impact of this unprecedented pandemic on pharmacy education in Morocco has become well pronounced with a lot of accompanying challenges. If not addressed, the results in the long-run may be devastating.

 

Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2020-02-SI-8

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Keywords


COVID-19; Pharmacy; Pharmacists; Education; Workforce; Pandemic; Coronavirus; Morocco; Africa.

References


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DOI: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2020-02-SI-8

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