Drug information centers as bases for continuing education programs in Kuwait

Over the past few years, there has been a modernization of pharmaceutical services in Kuwait. In 1983 a drug information center was opened. A one-year postgraduate, long-distance program leading to a diploma in clinical pharmacy was started in October 1987 in cooperation with Queen's University of Belfast, Ireland. Pharmacist and physician tutors were assigned to supervise students in the major hospitals in Kuwait. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 50 practicing pharmacists to assess the feasibility of using the Drug Information Center at Adan Hospital (DICAH) as a base for continuing education programs. Although certain difficulties were identified, it was concluded that the DICAH has the potential to be used as a base for future continuing education for pharmacists in Kuwait, especially as there is no school of pharmacy in the country.