EXPANSION OF THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF PHARMACEUTICAL WORKERS AS A RESULT OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) PANDEMIC IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a severe multisystem viral disease with a large number of symptoms and the likelihood of severe complications that significantly worsen the quality of life of patients. In 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic with the introduction of significant quarantine restrictions for citizens of many countries. And although in May 2023 the WHO suspended pandemic measures, the disease retains the status of a dangerous and socially significant disease.During the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacies became one of the key facilities for providing primary medical, pharmaceutical and preventive care to the population in terms of the number of consultations for pharmacy visitors and pharmaceutical care for patients with uncomplicated forms of COVID-19, which led to the emergence of new and expansion of existing functions in the professional activities of pharmacy pharmacists and clinical pharmacists and reduced the burden on medical workers in the country’s healthcare system.COVID-19, as a new, poorly understood disease and a large number of patients at the beginning of the pandemic, caused a significant burden on pharmacy pharmacists and clinical pharmacists, which significantly increased the scope of their competencies and caused the emergence of new professional responsibilities.During the COVID-19 pandemic, the professional responsibilities of pharmacy pharmacists and clinical pharmacists changed in accordance with the epidemiological situation in the region, the density of patient load at a medical institution or pharmacy, and the improvement of treatment methods, preventive measures and rehabilitation after the disease.Conclusions. The role of both pharmacy pharmacists and clinical pharmacists in providing care to patients with COVID-19 is multifaceted and consists not only of providing patients with medicines, medical devices and developing patients’ adherence to treatment, but also of informing healthcare professionals about innovative drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, possible negative consequences of pharmacotherapy, undesirable interactions between drugs and the occurrence of polypharmacy.