Dr Andrea M. Wilkins Daly Head, School of Pharmacy University of Technology, Jamaica

It is indeed a pleasure to extend congratulations to the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica (PSJ) on the occasion of Pharmacy Week 2020. I am delighted to extend my gratitude to the Executive, members of PSJ and the founding members for their hard work and continuous determination to advance the pharmacy profession.

Your theme “Pharmaceutical Care 5.0: Creating a New Frontier” could not be more fitting at this time. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2), led to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March of this year. This resulted in unprecedented stressors on all systems including educational and healthcare systems. COVID-19 created a new frontier, for us as Pharmacists to transform and create. Over the years, as pharmacists we have transitioned from engaging in the compounding of medications, to being involved in the booming pharmaceutical manufacturing industry (research and product development), academia, and today being more clinical minded and patientcentered. Throughout all the changes in the profession, technology has remained an integral part of the patient care process.

The PSJ has continued to be at the forefront of many projects and programmes. This year we have witnessed their first Webinar Continuing Education session in light of this new normal. The reality of the staging of this Virtual conference also shows how PSJ continues to create new frontiers of excellence not only for the Pharmacists in Jamaica, but in the Caribbean and the rest of the world, as they make pharmacy education sessions more accessible.

I am grateful for the Executive of the PSJ for contributing to the needs of the Healthcare system, Pharmaceutical Industries, Research and Pharmacy Education in Jamaica.

I wish you every blessing on all your activities as you celebrate Pharmacy Week 2020.