Delineating pharmacy processes in Haiti

Haiti's 2010 earthquake led to tremendous loss of life and human suffering. Since 2010, many NGO’s, humanitarian and medical mission groups rushed to aid and rescue disaster victoms. Several clinics and hospitals began to hire and train Haitian doctors and nurses. However, pharmacists in Haiti remain elusive. Pharmacy as a profession is not well recognized in Haiti. This study evaluated pharmacy processes across Northern Haiti.  A 3 member interdisciplinary team travelled to 6 clinics and 2 hospitals. PCurrent pharmacy practice does not often involve trained pharmacists or technicians. This study identified pharmacy issues as follows – Inventory management, Patient communications and Workplace Logistics. Currently sites manage their inventories manually with extensive paper records. This is problematic since medical teams visit multiple times and it is challenging to identify and effectively manage large inventories. Patient communications are challenging culturally, patients expect such communications to occur with physicians. However the ground reality suggests that physicians are unable to take the time to communicate medication instructions to patients. Patients see a technician to procure their medications and receive instructions. Technicians in the pharmacy are largely untrained which is problematic for appropriate patient communications. Patients have questionable literacy and providing written instructions may not work. Workplace logistics included Drug information resources, Point of care testing kits, Waste management, Handling and distribution of liquids among others. Haiti is a unique country where pharmacy is not well-established. There are significant process issues and challenges that need to be addressed to provide meaningful care in the long-run.