A stakeholders' perspective on enhancing community pharmacists' roles in controlling non-communicable diseases in the United Arab Emirates

Background: There is a global call for upscaling and optimising the role of community pharmacists (CPs) in the control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where NCDs are classified as a public health pandemic, upscaling CPs contributions has become more critical. Several contextual, professional, and educational challenges constrain the role of CPs.

Objective: To synthesise the perspectives of key stakeholders in the UAE healthcare system and propose a roadmap for advancing the role of CP s in controlling NCDs in the UAE.

Methods: This research followed a qualitative design using the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) framework for quality assurance of pharmacy profession development. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 28 experts and senior leaders, then analysed using the thematic analysis technique with the assistance of NVivo software.

Results: The analysis yielded three main themes that outlined the prospective roadmap: education, work environment, and policy. Some of the generated subthemes were establishing accredited NCD-specialised programmes, building a national framework for interprofessional education and collaboration, and upscaling the engagement of CPs in public health platforms and initiatives.

Conclusion: Improving the role of CPs in controlling the NCD pandemic in the UAE requires coherent and well-structured multidisciplinary endeavours from health policymakers, educational institutions, and all groups of healthcare professionals, including the CPs themselves.