Who we are
Established in 1969, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is the professional body for national pharmacy associations in Commonwealth countries
The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association
We welcome and support a range of other healthcare organisations from Commonwealth countries and elsewhere, as well as individual pharmacists.
We are an accredited organisation of the Commonwealth, and also an active member of the Commonwealth Health Professions and Partners Alliance.
Since becoming an independent charity in 2015, the CPA wholly relies on membership fees, grant income, charitable donations and partnerships.
Meet the team
Amy Hai Yan Chan
Professional Development and Research Lead
Ayesha Iqbal
Senior Research Officer
Beth Ward
Professional Development Advisor
Chloe Tuck
Health Policy Advisor
Diane Ashiru-Oredope
CwPAMS, Global AMR Lead
Gizem Gülpınar
Senior Research Advisor
Jenny Deere
HR Advisor and Consultant
Jolaade Taiwo
Communications Officer
Manjula Halai
Membership and Engagement Lead
Meghna Joshi-von Heyden
Strategic Development Lead
Tatiana Hardy
Senior Administrator
Vanessa Carter
Programmes Communication Manager
Victoria Rutter
Executive Director
Wei Ping Khor
Project Support Officer
Meet our people
Andrew McLachlan
Councillor
Anri Hornsveld
Councillor
Ashok Soni
Biyi Oloko
Treasurer
Ejiro Oyovwin Foyibo
Vice President and Regional Representative (West Africa)
Ivan Kotze
Junia Walcott
Regional Representative (The Americas)
Lorraine Osman
Mary Anne Ciappara
Regional Representative (Europe)
Moses Mukosha
Regional Representative (South and East Africa)
Nancy Ho
Vice President and Regional Representative (SE and Asia Pacific)
Nkwenti Davidson Achu
Oksana Pyzik
Rao V S V Vadlamudi
President and Regional Representative (Central Asia)
Raymond Anderson
Immediate Past President
Roger Odd
Chairperson
Thomas Kenny
Yvonne Yirenkyiwaa Esseku
Councillor
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is home to about 2.4 billion people – approximately a third of the world’s population – most of whom are under 30 years of age. Many of the 54 countries of the Commonwealth are in the developing world. These countries bear a heavy burden of disease which includes 60% of global HIV/Aids cases, 40% of infant deaths and 90% of pregnancy-related deaths of women. Pharmacy plays a vital role in improving health outcomes for millions of people.
The CPA works in six regions: the Americas, Europe, West Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Pacific. These regions span the entire globe and each one faces its own unique challenges in meeting the needs of its citizens.
Our history
At a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1965, a decision was taken to encourage greater development of the professions and professional organisations both nationally and internationally. A major step towards this end was the establishment in 1966 of the Commonwealth Foundation with one of its aims being the formation of Commonwealth Professional Associations.
The then President and Secretary/Registrar of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain took the initiative and, with the support of the Commonwealth Foundation, the inaugural meeting of the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association – the original name for the CPA – was held in London in 1969. Twenty-eight Commonwealth countries were represented.
With a few exceptions, the full Council or Executive Committee has met annually since 1971, and our members have participated in hundreds of events and activities across the Commonwealth. Some of these can be seen below.