Where Are We Active?
Active Missions
Bangladesh
PSF Canada has successfully concluded an initial evaluation mission at Square Hospitals Ltd. in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This mission consisted of two parts: The first part was the evaluation of the pharmacy department using the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Basel Statements (2015) and the second part was to evaluate the current clinical pharmacy practice at SHL. These evaluations will provide guidance for further missions in the future.
India
Our missions operate at Julia Hospital in Jamkhed, India. The hospital has 50 beds and two operating rooms. Julia Hospital has basic laboratory tests and X-Ray’s. There are international surgery camp missions that take place 5 to 6 times per year. Julia Hospital serves a rural, underprivileged population and provides low-cost secondary care to half a million people. They are open 24 hours a day for emergencies and from 9am-5pm for basic outpatient care. Services are provided to patients on a sliding payment scale: patients pay what they can afford. If the patients cannot afford anything, services are provided free of charge.
Madagascar
PSF team members, in coordination with PIVOT Madagascar, spend approximately 4-5 hours a week, reviewing and analyzing requirements and developing content for logistical support. The initial objectives have been on inventory management, however as the relationship with the team evolves, other objectives have arisen such as pharmaceutical reference recommendations, systems analysis and reporting optimization.
Benin
PSF Canada has been conducting missions within Benin since 2016, most recently at the Ketou Healthcare Centre, Pobè Area hospital, Adja-Ouèrè Municipal Health Center and Ikpinlè District Health Center. Our initial mission was to assess and evaluate the needs of these healthcare centers in regards to medication use and stock management and make recommendations in regards to these to improve health outcomes and overall workflow management. Subsequent missions were aiming to expand established plans, evaluate and dynamically change as needed.
Haiti
Since November 2016, eight missions have occurred in Haiti as a collaborative initiative between the humanitarian organization Pharmaciens Sans Frontières Canada and the local pharmacy team at Bernard Mevs Hospital (HBM). Missions have also been active in the Gressier Health Center and Centre de Sante Notre-Dame de Lourdes. Missions have focused on supporting existing pharmacy activities, expand and improve workflow and improve medication management and distribution.
Ghana
The Leyaata Hospital started construction in 2019 and opened in February 2023. It is the first hospital in this northern region of Ghana and serves a population of over 100,000 persons. This hospital is the fruition of over 11 years of planning by the Northern Empowerment Association (NEA) and Ghana Rural Integrated Development (GRID), partner non-governmental organizations.
Previous Missions
Mali
Missions to Mali were active from 2006-2010. PSF Canada worked in collaboration with Kolokani Regional Hospital (located in the Koulikoro region) and Point G Hospital in the capital. Contact was also made with the National Order of Pharmacists who further introduced to many partners in the area (local pharmacies, pharmacists, and medication warehouse managers). Missions were focused on pharmacy and warehouse infrastructure development, improvements to pharmacist-patient relations and communication, and targeted training in collaboration with local professions of rural pharmacy and medical staff.
Montenegro
Montenegro largely avoided the larger scale bombardments it’s neighbors faced during the Yugoslav Wars, but the influx of refugees from the neighboring territories (Bosnia and Kosovo) left the healthcare system in extreme duress. In response to this, PSF Canada collaborated with Pharmaciens Sans Frontières Comité International (PSFCI) and was tasked by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) to improve infrastructure and provide and distribute medications within state structures. This mission took place from October 2000 to April 2001 and was based in the capital Podogrica.
Uganda
In 2009, PSF Canada was contracted by the Teasdale-Corti Foundation and the Lacor Hospital executive team to provide pharmacy support, knowledge exchange, and technical assistance to the Lacor Hospital Department of Pharmacy. Missions were conducted from 2010-2015 and were charged with implementing the 2008 Basel Statements for Hospital Pharmacy Practice within the hospital.
Kosovo
PSF Canada arrived in Pristina in November 1999 as part of a team for Pharmaciens Sans Frontières Comité International (PSFCI) tasked to be responsible for restoring the country’s drug supply in an equitable and fair fashion. In addition to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, PSF was responsible for four other regions: Mitrovica, Gnjilane, Prizren and Pec (all still at the time under the protection of various UN armed bodies)