As we celebrate Pharmacy Month and World Pharmacists Day 2023, we shine a spotlight on the contributions made by Fundação Aurum Pharmacist Daniel Cueteia within the communities of Maputo City, Mozambique.
Cueteia is passionate about his profession, as front-line health workers, he believes that they play a crucial role in responding to the pandemics and epidemics that affect the world. This demonstrates their commitment to patient care and public health.
The birth of pharmacy as a passion
Cueteia found it extremely challenging to choose his career path while simultaneously meeting his parents' expectations. He decided to research all the courses offered at his prospective university, Instituto Superior de Ciência e Tecnologia de Moçambique, and took a diagnostic test. After careful consideration, he made the bold decision to study Pharmacy.
"It's common to think that those who study Pharmacy will necessarily become the typical over-the-counter pharmacist, but the truth is that it offers many more possibilities than you might think," he remarked.
Another factor that made his choice easy was that the Pharmacy course encompassed two areas of knowledge he had always been passionate about: chemistry and biology.
He found the Pharmacy course to be highly dynamic, particularly due to the advancements in technology and healthcare, both of which are essential in the field.
“A pharmacist is a professional who deals with medicines, from their research and development in laboratories to their dispensation at the counters of drugstores and compounding pharmacies," he explained.
Throughout his journey, armed with a Pharmacy degree, he has worked in various roles, including as a community pharmacist, a hospital pharmacist, a manager, and a researcher.
Pharmacy at a new height
Since joining Fundação Aurum in 2020, Cueteia has made significant progress in various projects such as IMPAACT4TB, IMPAACT4C19, the Central of Drugs/Medicines and Medical Supplies (CMAM), and the Provincial Directorates of Health (DPS) on issues related to medication management.
Working with the Maputo Pharmaceutical Department, he ensures the proper management of medicines by utilising single-stop TB stock records and supports the dissemination and application of the National Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment Guidelines in the communities he serves.
To fulfil his role as a pharmacist, he believes that training is crucial to ensure the necessary validations are conducted. This includes the validation of analytical methods and calibration of control equipment. He also emphasises the importance of providing initial and ongoing training for Quality Control personnel, tailored to the needs of the sector.
"After gaining experience in various institutions that have trained me to be a pharmacist of excellence, I now recognise the significant role of pharmacists in providing standardised medicines in accordance with clinical protocols and pharmaceutical guidelines to the population," he noted.
With his experience, Cueteia solidifies his role as a pharmacist by conducting health education initiatives and performing activities that are an integral part of the pharmaceutical care cycle, ultimately leading to health prevention and promotion.
"Pharmacists have a responsibility to safeguard the health and well-being of patients. Regardless of their specific field of practice, pharmacists must carry out their duties with ethics, respect, and a deep commitment to the health of individuals," he emphasised.
