jrnls.org logo
Submit

BROWSE ALL JOURNALS

SEE ALL 19 JOURNALS
Journal of Young PharmacistsNOW IN
Article

A Critical view of Pharmacy Education and Practice in Kenya

Mitchel Otieno Okumu1★, Francis Okumu Ochola2, Mary Atieno Onyango3★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi. P. O BOX 29053-00625 Nairobi, KENYA.
  2. 2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Moi University. P.O BOX 3900-30100 Eldoret, KENYA.
  3. 3Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Maseno University. P.O BOX 3275-40100 Kisumu, KENYA.

CORRESPONDENCE

Mitchel Otieno Okumu

Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi. P. O BOX 29053-00625 Nairobi, KENYA.

mytchan88@gmail.com

Received: 09-09-2016; Revised: 12-09-2016; Accepted: 15-09-2016.

Volume 9, Issue 1 · pp. 131–132 · PUBLISHED · DOI: 10.5530/jyp.2017.9.25

View on JYP original site ↗

ABSTRACT

The importance of the pharmacy practitioner to the healthcare team in general and to the patient in particular is under serious threat in Kenya. T he perception that the exclusive role of the pharmacist is to dispense medication and manage the supply chain of drugs and related commodi ties underscores the dim view held by the public and other cadres of the healthcare system towards the pharmacy profession. While the rest of the world continues to actively make the practice of pharmacy dynamic, the situation in Kenya has for a good long time remained frustratingly static. Presently, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) is a 5-year program. It is offered in seven institutions namely the University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenyatta University (KU), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Methodist University (KeMU), Mount Kenya University (MKU) and United States International University (USIU).1 However, the curriculum is structured in such a way that clinical phar macy accounts for a very small part of the program with a year or two being deemed sufficient contact time with this discipline of pharmacy. Moreover, the B. Pharm degree is the minimum pre-requisite for licensure as a pharmacist in the country.

KEYWORDS

    Open in new tab

    REFERENCES

    As published

    Showing references and in-text citations exactly as published.

      Cite this article

      SELECT FORMAT

      Okumu, M. O., Ochola, F. O., & Onyango, M. A. (). A Critical view of Pharmacy Education and Practice in Kenya. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 9(1), 131–132. https://doi.org/10.5530/jyp.2017.9.25