WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National
Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) today announced the formation of
a new organization, the National Hispanic Pharmacists Association
(NHPA), to increase access to care for Hispanic communities across
the country. Launched in collaboration with public and private
sector partners including CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), Walmart and
PhRMA, NHPA seeks to empower Hispanic pharmacists and other members
of the healthcare community to lead efforts that will improve the
health of Hispanic populations, which are currently
underrepresented among health professionals.
As of 2016, Hispanics make up the largest ethnic or racial
minority in the United States and
yet, Hispanic pharmacists make up only 4.5 percent of the 342,000
employed pharmacists across the country.
"Given that by 2042, one out of four people living in
the United States will be Latino,
NHHF is excited to launch NHPA so that Hispanic pharmacists can
develop programs and opportunities that can directly impact the
health of Americans," said NHHF President Elena Rios, MD, MSPH, FACP.
Some of the efforts NHPA will take on include starting a
scholarship program, developing professional and continuing
education opportunities and expanding the organization through new
corporate partners. NHPA also looks to create a mentorship
program and regional student chapters to increase the number of
Hispanic pharmacists in the future and further the organization's
outreach.
"Through my experiences in clinical practice and in working with
Spanish-speaking patients, I'm confident that the NHPA will help
address the health disparities that Hispanics face in the United States," said NHPA Board of
Directors President Maria M.
Hearns-Rivas, PharmD, APh, BCGP, CDE.
NHPA has also received strong support from its Corporate
Founders since its inception. "CVS Health has a presence in
nearly 10,000 communities across the country, and for our company
to thrive, we need a highly trained, culturally diverse health care
workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve," said
Lisa Bisaccia, EVP and Chief Human
Resources Officer, CVS Health. "We are proud to be one of the
founding corporate partners of the National Hispanic Pharmacists
Association, and we look forward to working together to improve the
health of Hispanic populations in the
United States."
"PhRMA is committed to partnering with organizations to improve
the health of all communities. The work of the National Hispanic
Pharmacists Association will go a long way toward improving health
equity and access to needed treatments," said Mike Ybarra, MD, Vice President of Medical
Affairs and Strategic Alliances, PhRMA.
About NHPA
The National Hispanic Pharmacists Association (NHPA) is a
non-profit organization established in 2018 in Washington, D.C. representing Hispanic and
Hispanic-serving pharmacists in the U.S. For more
information: https://nhmafoundation.org/nhpa/
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SOURCE National Hispanic Health Foundation