Pharmacy Practice in Qatar

Abstract

The pharmacy services in the State of Qatar are rapidly developing. Pharmacists are embracing a new culture of lifelong learning and commitment to self-development. One of the strongest drivers of the change and development in pharmacy practice is Qatar's National Health Strategy and a focused pharmacy and health care leadership in the country. A national Canadian-accredited college of pharmacy in Qatar University has adopted a strategy of involvement with stakeholders that is feeding the country with graduates equipped with the required set of skills to allow them to become effective members of the health care provider teams. A significant development in pharmacy is the focus on community pharmacy practice in Qatar. This sector enjoys a great deal of attention as it progresses toward playing an important role as health care services move toward a primary health care model. However, Qatar's pharmacy practice faces important challenges such as the need for the various pharmacy leadership organizations to work together toward implementing the plans of the National Health Strategy, the need to establish primary care that is capable of elevating the quality of health care, and the advancement of community pharmacy practice to the standard required to play its expected crucial part in health care delivery. These challenges must be confronted.