BY LINDELWA MYENI
MBABANE – Pharmacists in Eswatini are exploring how artificial intelligence can reduce routine workloads and give them more time to focus on patients, with the technology emerging as one of the key areas discussed during World Pharmacists Day celebrations at Eswatini Medical Christian University (EMCU) this week.
Clinical pharmacist Kolase Kumwenda Vilakati of Ezulwini Private Hospital said AI has the potential to support pharmacists by taking on routine tasks, allowing them to devote more time to their professional responsibilities and patient-centred care.
She stressed, however, that technology should complement rather than replace the human element of healthcare, particularly when patients require empathy, observation and personal interaction.
The discussions were held under the theme “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures,” bringing together health professionals to examine how the pharmacy profession can contribute to a more responsive and resilient health system.
Assistant Director of Central Medical Stores Sifundo Zwane, representing the Ministry of Health’s Pharmaceutical Services, said empowering pharmacists should involve stronger policies, education and greater inclusion of the profession across the health system.
Zwane said pharmacists have an expanding role in disease prevention, healthcare access, health services and health-system resilience.
She also highlighted the growth of pharmaceutical training in Eswatini, noting that the country previously faced a significant shortage of pharmacists.
Zwane said that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, approximately 16 pharmacists served about 287 health facilities, while the expansion of training at institutions including Southern African Nazarene University and EMCU has since contributed to growth in the pharmaceutical workforce.
Meanwhile, senior pharmacist at Mbabane Government Hospital Sihle Gama highlighted the importance of responsible medicine use and antimicrobial stewardship.
Gama said ensuring that patients receive the right medicine, at the right dose and through the appropriate route is essential, while also highlighting efforts to address antimicrobial resistance.
Director of Chemonics Eswatini Dennis Okidi Ladwar said innovation is also important in building pharmaceutical supply chains that can withstand disruptions, adapt to shocks and recover from them.
Closing the celebrations, Kingdom of Eswatini Pharmacy Association President Wandile Mkhatshwa highlighted the importance of the pharmacy profession to the broader health sector.
The discussions demonstrated how technology, professional development and responsible medicine use can work together to support pharmacists in delivering more patient-centred healthcare in Eswatini.
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