Alicante Hosts the First National Congress of Rural Pharmacy This Weekend

This weekend, on May 10th and 11th, the Auditorium of the Alicante Provincial Council (ADDA) will become the venue for the First National Congress of Rural Pharmacy, an event organised by the Association of Rural Pharmacists of the Province of Alicante (AFARPA) and the Spanish Society of Rural Pharmacy (SEFAR). The meeting will bring together 250 pharmaceutical professionals, health experts, and institutional representatives to address the main challenges of the sector in rural areas of our country.

The congress will cover, among other important topics, the necessary measures to ensure the sustainability of rural pharmacies, from incentives for generational succession to their full integration into the healthcare system and the incorporation of digital tools to improve professional services in these environments. Proposals will also be made to public administrations to ensure equitable access to medicines and services throughout the territory. The event also aims to strengthen the network of rural professionals through the exchange of experiences and best practices.

According to Jaime Espolita, "we are confident that this meeting will further enhance the image of Rural Pharmacy in society and will serve to strengthen ties between colleagues from different branches of the profession. The fact that an event of this magnitude is organised for and by colleagues working in the smallest pharmacies of our model, yet those that guarantee the equality and cohesion of it, makes us doubly proud and speaks highly of the commitment, vocation, and eagerness to learn of rural pharmacists. We are convinced it will be a success and will eventually become a benchmark in the future."

According to data from the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists (CGCOF), there are more than 4,400 pharmacies located in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants in Spain, serving more than 5.6 million people.

90% of the population residing in these rural areas has a community pharmacy in their municipality, and these pharmacies generate more than 11,800 jobs and an economic impact of nearly 1.6 billion euros annually, according to data from the CGCOF and AFI.