Pharmacist Joel Kenyon Passionate About Meeting Patients’ Healthcare Needs

Registered pharmacist, Joel Kenyon, is passionate about the profession.

The manager of Neighbour Care Pharmacy in St. Ann’s Bay, St. Ann, sees his job as more than just dispensing medications; it is going above and beyond to meet the healthcare needs of his patients.

It also involves sourcing hard-to-find drugs, arranging deliveries, offering counselling, and guiding patients through assistance programmes.

“On a daily basis, when I come to work, I think about how I would want somebody to treat my mom or my grandmother if they were sick. So, each day, that’s the approach that I take and the approach that I try to impart to the staff,” Mr. Kenyon tells JIS News.

On World Pharmacists Day on Thursday, September 25, the spotlight was shone on the men and women in the profession, to celebrate and amplify their contribution to ensuring a stronger, more sustainable health system.

For Mr. Kenyon, the day honours the vital role of these often unsung but essential healthcare providers.

He tells JIS News that World Pharmacists Day serves as a reminder of the vital role pharmacists play in the Jamaican healthcare system as they are frequently the first point of contact for those in need.

“Pharmacists are an important part of the healthcare team, and I think that [World Pharmacists Day] raises awareness for the role of pharmacists around the world, and that’s something that’s wonderful,” he says.

Mr. Kenyon’s journey into pharmacy was shaped from childhood as his mother is also a pharmacist.

When faced with the decision between computer science and pharmacy during his academic years, he chose to follow in the footsteps of his mother.

The former student of Bamboo Primary School, York Castle High and Brown’s Town Community College studied pharmacy at the University of Technology (UTech) School of Pharmacy.

“In fact, when I applied to do pharmacy at UTech, I was told that the course was full, but eventually, God worked it out, and I was able to get in on that year,” he notes.

After graduating, Mr. Kenyon began his professional career at Viomed Pharmacy in Brown’s Town, working alongside his mother for two years.

That period was invaluable to him as he gained real-world experience and confidence in his responsibility for patients’ medications. Mr. Kenyon also learned about traditional remedies as well as the local terms Jamaicans used for medication.

In December 2016, he transitioned to his current position at Neighbour Care Pharmacy, where he has spent the past nine years growing in the profession and building relationships within the community.

Furthermore, he is keen to adapt to the needs of patients by being attentive to their individual preferences and tailoring the experience for each person where possible.

For Mr. Kenyon, this dedication to exceeding expectation is key to the pharmacy’s impact on the wider St. Ann’s Bay community.

He says that the job is not without challenges, noting that one major issue involves patient access to newer medications and treatments that may be available in other countries but face regulatory or importation barriers in Jamaica.

“The National Health Fund (NHF) has been doing a good job in ensuring that persons are able to access medication, but I also think that there needs to be more work done in relation to general drugs coming into the island. Sometimes, there’s a difficulty in acquiring them for patients who may need them,” Mr. Kenyon points out.

Balancing Jamaican’s affinity for herbal and natural remedies is also another complex area.

Mr. Kenyon says that many Jamaicans operate under the assumption that natural products are safer and free from side effects but points out that this belief is not necessarily accurate. Herbal products can have significant effects and may interact with prescribed medications in unpredictable ways.

“So, it’s very difficult to make recommendations as it relates to them (herbal medication). I try to educate the patients about it [and] so it’s best to abide by what is recommended by the pharmacist,” Mr. Kenyon says.

Despite the challenges, Mr. Kenyon describes pharmacy as a deeply rewarding profession, one that offers young people the chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of people.

He is encouraging youngsters to consider the field, noting that there is always room for passionate individuals who want to make a difference in the country.

Mr. Kenyon hopes to continue growing both personally and professionally.

“I think that there’s still room for me to grow as a pharmacist and also for the business to grow. So, I think that in the future, I just want to continue growing in the incremental way that we have been growing so far,” he tells JIS News.