9th African Pharmaceutical Symposium (AfPS) - 2021

The 9th edition of the African Pharmaceutical Symposium (AfPS) is scheduled for the 4th – 12th July 2021 at Kopanong Hotel & Conference Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will be held under the theme “Pharmacy Practice in the 21st century: Regulation, Technology and Pharmaceutical Care”. 
4 - 12 Jul 2021

The 9th edition of the African Pharmaceutical Symposium (AfPS) is scheduled for the 4th – 12th July 2021 at Kopanong Hotel & Conference Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will be held under the theme “Pharmacy Practice in the 21st century: Regulation, Technology and Pharmaceutical Care”. 

The symposium will focus on shaping the future of pharmacy in the 4th industrial revolution, medicine access and regulation, and the changing roles of pharmacists in this era. Furthermore, it is at this gathering that the Regional Assembly will be held, which is the highest decision-making body of the Regional Office.

The Leaders in Training event will be on the 4th and 5th of July, preceded by the main symposium happening from the 6th - 10th July, and followed by the post-symposium tour starting on the 10th and ends on the 12th of July in Mpumalanga province.

Approximately 300 delegates from every IPSF AfRO corner is expected to convene for this gathering, with speakers coming from various countries.

SAPSF, South Africa 
The South African Pharmaceutical Students Federation (SAPSF) was founded in 1953 – an astounding 66 years ago – by two universities’ student branches, namely Rhodes University and Potchefstroom University (now North-West University). Currently, SAPSF represents more than 4, 000 pharmacy students and recent graduates from nine South African Universities, all working towards a common goal as outlined by SAPSF’s vision of being a united student body that “serves the interests of the pharmacy students and promotes the pharmacy profession by working towards a common goal of quality health for all”. 

SAPSF is the body that regulates and governs all the pharmacy student branches that fall under it, namely:

  • Potchefstroom Apteek Studente Vereniging  (PASV)
  • Port Elizabeth Pharmacy Students Association (PEPSA)
  • Rhodes University Pharmacy Student Association (RUPSA)
  • Sefako Makgatho University Association of Pharmacy Students (SMUAPS)
  • Tshwane University of Technology Association of Pharmacy Students (TUTAPS)
  • University of Limpopo Association of Pharmacy Students (ULAPS)
  • University of KZN Association of Pharmacy Students (UKNAPS)
  • University of the Western Cape Association of Pharmacy Students (UWCAPS)
  • Witwatersrand Pharmaceutical Students Council (WPSC)

SAPSF, South Africa has hosted the IPSF World Congress twice in the past; the 20th congress in 1974, and the 39th congress in 1993 both in Cape Town. For the very first time, SAPSF is now preparing to host the IPSF African Pharmaceutical Symposium.