Sherif Guorgui
Co-CEO & Chief Strategy, Stakeholder & Government Relations Officer, OnPharm-United
Independent pharmacies help keep Ontarians healthy and protected, all while reducing the burden on our health-care system.
Independent pharmacies play an important role in keeping Canadians healthy and supporting immune health. Ontario pharmacists have administered over 8.8 million COVID-19 vaccines to date and over 1.7 million flu vaccines this season. Further expansion of their scope of practice to facilitate Ontarians receiving even more routine immunizations and vaccinations is much needed.
As the government continues to look for effective ways to get more Ontarians vaccinated, it’s imperative that it includes pharmacy as part of the solution
Sherif Guorgui
Getting more Ontarians vaccinated
During the pandemic, there has been a decrease in routine vaccinations. Pharmacists already have the skills to administer vaccines and are well-suited to be part of the solution. By increasing the list of vaccines that pharmacists can administer, including some that are already publicly funded but only available at doctors’ offices or health clinics, we can quickly and conveniently get Ontarians up to date on missed vaccinations, helping to prevent future disease outbreaks. Involving pharmacists in more vaccination programs also expands our health-care system’s capacity.
“As the government continues to look for effective ways to get more Ontarians vaccinated, it’s imperative that it includes pharmacy as part of the solution,” says Sherif Guorgui, Co-CEO at OnPharm-United, a network of more than 600 independent pharmacy owners across Ontario. OnPharm-United is dedicated to providing its members with the ability to maintain their independent status while benefiting from a suite of support programs, services, and resources. Its goal is to help independent pharmacies thrive in a highly competitive and continuously changing market.
