DR. NASRI OMAR – GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH PHARMACIST

A brief introduction of yourself.

I am Dr. Nasri Omar, a mother of three and a pharmacist by profession. I am a Global Mental Health practitioner who is currently the focal person for the Mental Health System and Policy in the Ministry of Health. I am a Chevening scholar passionate about Mental Health Policy Formulation and the Strengthening of Healthcare systems.

You are a Chevening Scholar. Briefly explain what Chevening is and what a pharmacist stands to gain from this global scholarship.

This is a scholarship funded by the British Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. It offers one–year scholarships in the United Kingdom. There are many courses that are applicable to pharmacists and the pharmacy profession.

Chevening offers a significant advantage over other scholarships since a university admission letter is not a prerequisite in the application process. Chevening gives you an opportunity to select three courses of your choice at any UK university.

The scholarship package entails full tuition, a monthly stipend, a return flight, an arrival and departure allowances.

Through Chevening, one gets to interact and network with scholars from all over the world who are seasoned leaders and ultimately gets to grow their personal and professional networks.

Upon return to the country, there is an opportunity to engage through the Chevening Alumni network and the British High Commission.

You are a Global Mental Health Practitioner. What does this role entail?

This is a role that most individuals aren’t aware of and haven’t ventured into. There are less than ten Global Mental Health practitioners in the country. However, I am the only pharmacist in this line of practice. This is a speciality which involves evidence generation and translation, policy formulation and healthcare systems strengthening. In simpler terms, it is a public health practice with a focus on mental health. It focuses on translating current evidence into practice.

As the focal person for the Mental Health system and policy at the Ministry of Health, during the height of the pandemic, I was involved in the coordination of the mental health and psychosocial support response as part of the COVID-19 response in Kenya. 

What inspired you to pursue this line of practice?

 I worked at the Comprehensive Care Centre(CCC) in Mathari National and Teaching Referral Hospital for about six years. I was scared initially as I wasn’t ready to work with patients with mental health disorders. As the Clinical Lead in the HIV Clinic, most of the patients from the wards did not have files in the CCC; thus, appropriate comprehensive patient follow-up was not possible. To address this challenge, I set up the Inpatient HIV care, through the planning of Continuous Medical Education(CME) platforms, I organized the rota with my team to plan for ward rounds to specifically identify the HIV patients and do proper follow-up on them.

I initially thought my interest was in Infectious Diseases, but consistently going to the ward rounds made me see the value of a Pharmacist in Mental Health, and that’s how my passion for pursuing mental health was spurred.

My inspiration to pursue mental health as a career traces to a patient I had managed in the past for a couple of years. The patient had substance use disorder, HIV/AIDS and got tuberculosis at some point.  Since Mathari did not have a medical ward, we advised that the patient be referred. Sadly, we lost this patient as the family refused to transfer him to Kenyatta National Hospital for comprehensive care. The family’s refusal was attributed to the fact that the family did not believe he had other healthcare issues. They only believed he had an underlying mental disorder, and hence this was the priority that required attention. This pushed me to practice mental health to advocate for patients who do not have a voice, and this actually a call for Pharmacists and other practitioners to be aware of what mental health entails.

What is the role of pharmacists in the mental health space? Is it a field that pharmacists should consider exploring?

Definitely. The pharmacy curriculum is very diverse. It equips pharmacists with knowledge and skills to practice in various healthcare fields. Pharmacists are important in the clinical practice to enhance drug adherence and compliance for people living with mental health disorders. Pharmacists can also participate in research and drug development to enhance patient care through the development of new molecules.  Furthermore, pharmacists can be involved in policy formulation. They can develop policies that ensure equitable distribution of resources to ensure patients get comprehensive mental health care.

Ultimately, pharmacists should explore and expose themselves to practice in fields they are passionate about. Passion can be derived from practice. Look for avenues to create value.

Young pharmacists should get mentors to guide them in developing and fulfilling their passions. Most importantly, being able to go for what they want and doing it well.

Young pharmacist should get out of their way and make it a personal initiative to develop an area they are interested in regardless of the status quo.

What are some of the challenges you have experienced as a Global Mental Health practitioner, especially with a pharmacy background?

One of the most significant challenges I faced was convincing the training team to approve my study leave. Given that the role of a Pharmacist in this field was vague and what role a pharmacist would play in mental health has not been well elucidated in the Kenyan Healthcare system. It took me close to two years before my study leave was approved.

The second challenge was role confusion once I came back. This position is not clearly defined in the Ministry of Health.  I have, however, had to work hard to ensure that the role of a Global Mental Health practitioner within the public service is felt. I was involved in coordinating mental health responses during the pandemic. I presented proposals on strengthening healthcare systems. As a professional, you must have seniors in the profession willing to hold your hand and guide you. I would like to thank the Director of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Simon Njuguna, for the role he played in mentoring and guiding me as I eased into the role.

Mental health is associated with a lot of stigmatization. What roles do pharmacists play in the mental health space to help reduce stigma?

Pharmacists are critical in the provision of multidisciplinary patient-centred care to patients with mental health issues. During the dispensing of medications, pharmacists should involve the patient in the treatment process. Pharmacists should address the patient, the person who is going to take the drug. It is important to separate the patient from the mental illness. They can offer patient counselling and educate patients on the side effects and uses of medications to help them understand why they need the drugs.

Pharmacists should ensure medication safety and compliance for the effectiveness of treatment. Furthermore, pharmacists can reduce stigma by creating awareness in communities and families. This will educate communities that they should seek mental health services and not feel ashamed or stigmatized. Finally, they should take care of their mental health, as it is difficult to pour from an empty cup. They can organize walks, hold team-building activities and create mental health programs for purposes of debriefing.

What is your take on the current pharmacy curriculum vis-à-vis the job market requirements?

Training institutions should update their curriculum to match the current job market trends, and technological advancements and phase out what content that is already obsolete. They should also give pharmacists with non-traditional pharmacy roles opportunities to mentor students on existing opportunities they can explore in the job market.

Young pharmacists should fully utilize their potential. They should get out of their way to achieve what they aspire to do.

Pharmacists should stop playing small. They need to rise up and let their voices and impact be felt in all the spaces where their practice matters.

Dear young pharmacist, follow your passion for you are just as important as any medical cadre. You have a holistic way of doing things, and use that to your advantage!

‘’Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.’’ Marianne Williamson.