November 4, 2019
Vibhuti Arya, Pharm.D., MPH, Associate Clinical Professor at St. John’s University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, was recently appointed to assume the helm of worldwide efforts by the Federation of International Pharmacy (FIP) to strengthen and transform systems to provide more gender equity and diversity.
“I am incredibly grateful and humbled to be selected as one of three Global Leads for this important work to strengthen the pharmacy workforce globally, and to further St. John’s Vincentian mission to serve others through such international engagement. Globally, women make up 70% of the health care workforce, yet hold only 25% of leadership positions,” said Dr. Arya. “Unfortunately, gender discrimination and stereotypes are still a very present part of our workforce and end up hurting both women and men. Gender equity is greatly needed to champion women and their contributions, improve equity and diversity overall, and empower women as informal caregivers. We will be working within FIP to strategize and spearhead transformative policies towards these goals. We hope this work will diversify the voices in leadership and drive innovation and an inclusive agenda for pharmacists across the world.”
Dr. Arya will serve as an FIP Officer and lead FIP’s Workforce Development Goal for Gender Equity and Diversity, which is focused on systemic changes while working with governments and pharmacy decision makers across the globe.
Recognized as the world leader of the pharmacy profession, the FIP concentrates on pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences and pharmaceutical education. Through its 151 national organizations, academic institutional members, and individual members, it represents more than four million pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, and pharmaceutical educators around the world.
Founded in 1912, FIP is a non-governmental organization with its head office in the Netherlands. Through its partnerships and extensive pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences network, the organization aims to support the development of the pharmacy profession, through practice and emerging scientific innovations, and through developing the pharmacy workforce in order to meet the world’s health care needs and expectations.
Dr. Arya was among 2,652 pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, and pharmacy educators from 115 countries in attendance at FIP’s 79th annual World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which was held in September in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The Emirates Pharmacy Society co-hosted the conference.