CPA recognised at the 2025 Nepal Pharmacists Association Conference
CPA participated as part of the Prescribing Companion App workstream
by Charles Mwanje, Project Manager (Prescribing Companion App), SPARC
The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) has been officially recognised at the 2025 Nepal Pharmaceutical Association (NPA) Conference for contributions to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and health workforce development. CPA attended the Conference, which took place recently in Kathmandu, through the Prescribing Companion App workstream – a part of our Surveillance and Prescribing Support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity Building (SPARC) programme.
The theme for this year’s NPA Conference was ‘Innovation and Interdisciplinary Synergy in Pharmacy’, bringing together pharmacists and global health leaders from across Asia and beyond. The Conference provided a platform to showcase CPA’s ongoing efforts to support AMS and health system strengthening through digital innovation, with a specific focus on the Prescribing Companion App.
During the conference, the NPA also formally acknowledged CPA as a key partner of the Nepal health sector, reflecting our deep collaboration with not only the NPA but also the Ministry of Health and Population in implementing various AMS interventions.
Showcasing innovation in pharmacy practice
During the Pharmacy Practice section of the Conference, CPA presented a well-received abstract titled ‘Using the Prescribing Companion App to Improve Access to AMS Resources for Healthcare Professionals.’ This abstract shared key insights into how the Prescribing Companion App, a mobile platform providing a core repository of antimicrobial treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals, is transforming AMS efforts across low- and middle-income countries, including Nepal.
Funded by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care through the Fleming Fund, the App is designed to improve access to national and international AMS resources at the point of care, with offline functionality which makes it especially valuable in low-resource settings. With more than 1,700 active users in Nepal alone, the App has become an essential tool for clinicians, pharmacists, and students seeking reliable, offline-compatible AMS and infection prevention and control resources.
Central to the programme’s success is CPA’s App Champion model. Our national App Champions are responsible for coordinating App rollout, engaging stakeholders and identifying resources for upload in their respective countries, empowering them as national leaders in enhancing equitable access to pharmacy resources. Additionally, each country also has an In-Country Consultant to support the App Champion and CPA in ensuring our AMS efforts are optimised for the specific needs of each country’s health system.
In Nepal, this leadership is exemplified by Lalit Mohan Pant, the President of NPA, who also serves as the country’s App Champion, and Anup Luitel, an Assistant Professor at Kathmandu University who works as the In-Country Consultant.
Facilitating access to health resources
Through national launch events, awareness campaigns, and targeted outreach, we are proud that the App is now being actively used in hospitals and universities across Nepal, including Dhulikhel Hospital, the teaching hospital of Kathmandu University. The App features Nepal’s national antimicrobial treatment guidelines, trusted World Health Organisation resources, and other training materials to build AMS capacity among the next generation of health workers.
Nepal and Timor-Leste currently lead among Asian countries in the usage of the Prescribing Companion App, each contributing significantly to the platform’s global network of over 66,000 users. According to a recent survey, 95% of users would recommend the App to colleagues, with feedback highlighting its relevance and ease of use by health workers.
This success demonstrates the power of local leadership, digital innovation, and partnerships in addressing critical health system challenges, and the App’s success in Nepal serves as a powerful model for other countries looking to strengthen their AMS frameworks. CPA is also preparing to launch a qualitative user survey to explore user experiences to further improve the App’s features and content based on real-world needs.
“Participating in the 2025 Nepal Pharmacists Conference at Kathmandu University was an incredibly enriching experience. I had the chance to share how the Prescribing Companion App is helping to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship across Africa and Asia.
“One of the most powerful moments was seeing firsthand how our work, in collaboration with the Nepal Pharmacists Association, is making a meaningful difference in local health facilities. I also valued the opportunity to connect with pharmacists and global health leaders from across Asia, exchange insights, and experience the warmth and generosity of our Nepalese colleagues and friends.”
Charles Mwanje
Project Manager (Prescribing Companion App), SPARC
As the Conference continued, we were very grateful to receive a Token of Love from our colleagues at NPA. The Token is indicative of the productive relationship between CPA and NPA, currently bearing fruit in the form of our collaborations to strengethen AMS and develop the health workforce in Nepal.
CPA is proud to work with national pharmacy associations – both across the Commonwealth and beyond – in pursuit of our shared vision to advance equitable access to safe and effective medicines and pharmacy services for a healthier world. If you are a representative of an organisation who is interested in becoming a CPA member, please fill in our membership enquiry form.
Charles Mwanje
Project Manager (Prescribing Companion App)
SPARC
About the Author
Charles is a certified global health programme manager, researcher and social scientist currently studying for a master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Manchester. He has extensive experience in evidence-based public health programme development (including digital health), implementation, and research in low- and middle-income countries.
His strengths lie in his organisational skills, effective communication, and adeptness at navigating complex challenges, which has enabled him to excel in diverse, multi-stakeholder environments.
About SPARC and the Fleming Fund
Led and implemented by the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, the SPARC programme is supported through a grant from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund, a UK aid programme supporting up to 25 countries across Africa and Asia to tackle AMR, managed by Mott MacDonald. The Fleming Fund invests in strengthening data surveillance systems through a portfolio of country grants, regional grants, fellowships and global projects managed by partners.