Nabil Fakih believes that it becomes more apparent that community pharmacies support the public’s health and welfare in these difficult times. Many opportunities to help their local communities come along with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Community pharmacists now play vital roles in providing the public with a wide range of medical services, among many others.

Unlike general medical practitioners, community pharmacies provide unparalleled access to a trusted healthcare setting. This convenient access is appealing, primarily to those who have immediate health concerns. Nabil Fakih believes that community pharmacies offer so much more than dispensing prescription drugs. Fortunately, more patients are starting to see this fact.

Community pharmacies offer a wide range of services, including counseling, health checks, vaccinations, and many more. But Nabil Fakih believes that community pharmacies deserve more attention.

Over the years, many reports prove that community pharmacies are under-utilized. Patients still go to their general practitioners to treat conditions that local pharmacists could manage. Nabil Fakih believes it is essential to raise awareness of what community pharmacies can do, especially during this pandemic. Medical doctors need all the help that they could get to continue fighting the coronavirus. When patients trust their community pharmacies for minor medical concerns, they help prevent unnecessary visits to the general practitioners, which will provide a better patient experience for everyone.

Nabil Fakih believes that it is essential that, at the heart of local communities, everyone strives towards making community pharmacies the first point of contact within the health system. It is inspiring to see that every team of health professionals cares about serving their local community. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Nabil Fakih observed how the role of pharmacists significantly evolved. From regularly filling prescription drugs and counseling to helping administer COVID-19 tests onsite. It is vital that the pharmacists also get protection to ensure that they can continue their work in providing the needs of the members of their local community.

Nabil Fakih believes that while every pharmacist is responsible for all drug-related patient care, community pharmacists are primarily vital in improving the population’s health. They are essential parts of community members’ lives and deserve deep appreciation and gratitude for their services. Did you know that half of the population of the United States of America takes prescription drugs? The primary job of community pharmacists is medication dispensing.

Pharmacists are the drug experts; they are responsible for reviewing drug dosages, potency, administration route, and additional guidelines, which all ensure that there are no harmful drug-drug interactions. Nabil Fakih believes that without this thorough verification process, a patient may be put in a worse situation than his or her current medical condition. Community pharmacists serve as the last checkpoint before patients take their medication, which makes them vital in providing patient care.

Did you know that more than a hundred thousand Americans die annually because of poor medication adherence? To help prevent more of these cases, community pharmacists are responsible for patient education, mentoring, and counseling. Nabil Fakih believes that quality and effective sessions allow pharmacists to render more personalized and patient-centered care, contributing to the overall health of the community.

Other than dispensing prescription medications, Nabil Fakih believes that community pharmacists also improve population health by providing clinical services such as immunizations and vaccines. They can also offer medication therapy management or MTM for patients, which significantly improves medication adherence and reduces readmission. Most importantly, Nabil Fakih believes that the dedication and passion pharmacists give to their communities make them fundamental parts of healthcare. Besides improving the population’s health and providing care to its members, community pharmacists are also literally part of the local community. They build long-term and quality connections with their neighbors and ensure to render only the best patient care.

For Nabil Fakih, it is easier to understand what gaps in care are and how and why they can occur than to spot and stop them. Generally speaking, a gap in patient care refers to the discrepancy between the care that is provided to patients and the recommended and ideal practices in the healthcare system. It may also refer to the difference between the medications the patients taking and the ones they should be taking based on healthcare guidelines for their conditions or health goals. The gap manifests itself in varied ways, such as missed age-based or seasonal screenings or vaccines.

Nabil Fakih believes that community pharmacies are in the best position to take this role since pharmacists have the most contact with patients. After identifying the gaps, it is now time to close them and provide better healthcare to your patients. The strategy that you should come up with should target issues that cause the gaps. Make sure that as you formulate your tactics, Nabil Fakih believes that you should keep in mind that utilizing technology, clinical programs, accurate prescription fills, and collaboration with the prescriber and the patient will make your efforts to close gaps in patient care most effective.

Some issues that should be targeted include the following:

Patient education. When your patients are aware of chronic illnesses and drugs available, it will be much easier for a pharmacist to provide the ideal patient care. However, Nabil Fakih believes that this is rarely the case. Community pharmacists are tasked to help identify and close patient-specific knowledge gaps, which can range from simple brochures and handouts to more sophisticated courses, depending on the level of the patient’s interest.

Counseling. Aside from refilling prescriptions, one of the primary jobs of a pharmacist includes this task. For Nabil Fakih, one-on-one counseling is one step up from general patient education, which can be used to discuss the benefits of certain drugs and to contact the patient’s doctor to ask for recommendations.

Coaching. While interacting with patients, pharmacists could use motivational interviews to identify barriers to adherence or gaps in care. By doing this, a pharmacist could easily coach the patient and help remove whatever barriers are hindering them from getting the best care.

Together with medical doctors, nurses, medical technologists, and other medical professionals, pharmacists are in the frontline in fighting against the novel coronavirus. Nabil Fakih believes that community pharmacists are playing a vital role in supporting patients, especially in the areas currently in lockdown. Unlike other businesses and public services, community pharmacies need to stay open despite the risk of getting infected by the novel coronavirus. A community pharmacy plays a vital role in delivering essential counseling, information, and medications, and medical supplies to the local community.

However, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, community pharmacies now face the challenges of rapidly adapting their frontline services to meet unprecedented demands of medications, medical supplies, and patient counseling. Nabil Fakih lists down some ways how pharmacists can ensure the safety of patients and staff members.

Enforce social distancing. Based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization, maintaining a distance of two meters between individuals will help prevent the further transmission of the coronavirus. So far, there are no strict guidelines to follow on how social distancing should be implemented but Nabil Fakih suggests placing physical barriers and tapes that would serve as markers for patients and staff to stand on and keep the distance.

Keep your staff safe. During the pandemic, pharmacists would have to go above and beyond their role. Nabil Fakih believes that keeping the staff members is vital in keeping a community pharmacy running. Pharmacists should be given opportunities to rotate away from facing patients and attend to other sections of the pharmacy. Personal protective equipment or PPE should also be provided to pharmacists, especially to those who face patients for consultation and counselling.

Ensure that the pharmacy’s stock is adequate. Although some pharmacies would desire to continue as a business, it is essential that each community pharmacy prioritize what their local community requires. Community pharmacies should consider limiting the quantity of some items that can be sold. Referrals to other community pharmacies could also be done if there are no other choices left.

The Arab-American Civil Rights League or ACRL is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011. The institution’s primary goal is to support and fight for the civil rights and liberties of the Arab-American community.

ACRL Board of Directors

Nabil Fakih is among the Board of Directors who oversee the operations of ACRL and ensure the group acts in accordance with its mission and vision. Other members of the Board of Directors include:

• Nasser Beydoun (Board Chairman)
• James Allen, Esq. (Vice-Chairman)
• Wally Jadan (Treasurer)
• Chaker Aoun
• Dr. Mohamed Ayad, MD
• Dr. Samuel Fawaz, MD
• Helal Farhat, Esq.
• Hussein Berry
• Ismael Ahmed
• Marvin Beatty
• Megan Moslimani, Esq.
• Mike Jaafar
• Mona Fadlallah, Esq.
• Nabih Ayad, Esq.
• Nader Fakhouri
• Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony
• Rula Aoun, Esq.

ACRL Mission and Objectives

Nabil Fakih, along with other members of ACRL, has but one goal: to protect the Arab-American community from wrongful stereotypes, abuse, and discrimination. Their daily activities often revolve around:

• Spreading awareness of wrongful stereotypes and discrimination against Arab-American residents in the community. Through seminars, bulletin board announcements, or even social media posts, we can help raise awareness about the injustice that the community experiences.
• Defending Arab-Americans who were wronged or discriminated against. We have a hotline that allows us to keep in touch with the community. If you or someone you know was treated unfairly because of their Arab ethnicity, don’t be afraid to talk to us!
• Meeting local, Federal, and even state authorities to develop new programs and governances geared toward equality. Nabil Fakih and other board of directors set regular meetings with progressive, like-minded government officials who are open to hearing the woes of the community.
• Assisting members of the Arab-American community who are Visa holders and U.S. residents when it comes to entering the country. Our team of legal specialists will go the extra mile to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. After all, you have just as much right as anyone does to be in the country. You shouldn’t be subjected to unecessary inspections or interviews.

According to Nabil Fakih, the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) is a non-profit organization formed to advocate and protect the civil rights and liberties of Arab Americans. He is a member of the organization’s board of directors. 

A need for protection

ACRL was founded in 2011 as a response to the astounding need to protect the Arab-American community’s civil rights and freedom. Through advocacy programs and education, the ACRL hopes to build coalitions, combat negative stereotypes, and promote cooperation and understanding. The group is led by prominent advocates and civil rights attorneys who are committed to protect and preserve the rights of the community it serves. 

The mission

The ACRL’s mission is simple: to protect the civil rights and freedom of ethnic minorities. Nabil Fakih says the organization hopes to accomplish this through awareness programs and to dispel negative perceptions of Arab-Americans. 

The league has the following goals: 

• Advocate, defend, and promote the civil and constitutional rights of Arab-Americans and secure equality and justice for all;
• Combat prejudices, negative thinking, and hate in all forms directed towards Arab-Americans through education and awareness programs.
• Enlighten the public about the positive contributions Arab-Americans have made (and are making) to the United States;
• Work with the local, state and federal government to develop and promote positive governance and policies;
• Aim to ensure equal representation in both the government and the private sector;
• Monitor and correct defamatory material on the media and the internet against Arab-Americans;
• Nabil Fakih adds, to act as a channel between the media and the Arab-American community, to ensure accurate and adequate representation.
• To promote interfaith and cross-cultural cooperation between the Arab-American community and their neighbors.

A positive impact

The ACRL doesn’t aim to profit from any of its efforts. It is only committed to bringing about a positive impact on the lives of Arab-Americans and a shift in perception in the communities that they live in. For free legal advice or to issue a complaint against discrimination of any sort, visit the ACRL website.

February’s Super Bowl had a lot of Americans cheering. Nabil Fakih, a director of the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL), noted that many Arab Americans had more reasons to celebrate this year’s game because it featured an Arab American coach and an Arab-inspired halftime show.

Arab American Coach

Robert Saleh is the first Arab American to help coach a team that played in the Super Bowl. Saleh is the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, a National Football League (NFL) team. He has held this position since 2017. 

But this is not Saleh’s first Super Bowl game. He was an assistant coach of the Seattle Seahawks when the team won against the Denver Broncos in 2013.

Nabil Fakih explained that the ACRL works hard to educate people on the contributions of Arab Americans. The fact that Saleh has been given a key position in a major league team could be seen as a step toward a more positive view of Arab Americans.

Saleh’s parents are both Lebanese. But he was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. His stint as a coaching staff during the biggest game in American football was a source of pride and joy for many Dearborn residents of Arab descent.

The press highlighted the mood in Dearborn. One resident, who went to the same school that Saleh went to, said that seeing the coach felt like a family member was on TV. 

Arab-inspired halftime show

Nabil Fakih pointed out that Shakira, who is famous for being a Latina performer, showed her Arab roots during the Super Bowl halftime performance. 

In particular, Shakira’s attempt at a zaghroota got the attention of many viewers. Some viewers took to social media to create memes about this. But others used this as an avenue to educate people about this Arab tradition.

A zaghroota is a loud trilling or chant usually done during Arab weddings and celebrations as an expression of happy emotions.

Nabil Fakih is one of the board members of the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL). The organization dedicates itself to securing the civil rights of Arab Americans and Fakih, born and raised in Tyre, Lebanon, considers it a huge honor to contribute to this noble cause.

Arab Americans constitute a quickly growing group—current estimates put their number at around four million. Members of the community live in all 50 states of the U.S., although a third of them live in just 10 states:

• California
• Michigan
• New York
• Florida
• Texas
• New Jersey
• Illinois
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia

As is the case in any demographic group, especially with a similar or bigger population, Arab Americans need to be represented to ensure that their needs are met and their voices heard. There are several groups in the country dedicated to this cause, and ACRL is one of them.

ACRL is based in Dearborn, Michigan, where Nabil Fakih lives with his family. It was founded in 2011 as an answer to the need for representation and protection of Arab American civil rights and liberties. Like similar groups, ACRL hopes to achieve its mission through a combination of advocacy and education.

In particular, the group aims to educate the public on the many positive contributions that Arab Americans have given to the country and their respective communities. In the process, the group hopes to secure equality and cease the proliferation of negative stereotypes about their members.

The ACRL also represents the Arab American community not just in government, but also in the private sector. Part of their mission is to promote positive governance by working hand in hand with both local, state, and federal authorities. It also acts as a conduit between its members and the media, and works to secure positive intercultural relations with other Arab American communities, as well as other cultural groups.

When I, Nabil Fakih, first started working as a pharmacist, it was a struggle to find high-paying job positions that could sustain my everyday living. So if you are a new pharmacist who is looking for top-paying pharmacy jobs, then you would need to head East or West because the top-paying jobs can be found there, according to reports. Regions with the top-paying jobs for pharmacists are Alaska, California, Vermont, Wisconsin, an New Hampshire, with Alaska as the highest-paying. Alaska’s annual mean wage is $138,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS of the United States of America. In California, it is $137,000, $134,000 in Vermont, $131,000 in Wisconsin, and $128,000 in New Hampshire.

Aside from the states I, Nabil Fakih, have listed above, there are other states in the top tier for pharmacist salaries. These states include Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, Virginia, and Maine. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean salaries in these states ranges from $125,000 to $138,000.

The second tier states, based on the annual mean salaries are as follows: New Mexico, Idaho, New York, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Delaware, and Connecticut. The range for the annual mean salaries for theses states is from a low of $120,000 to a higher end of $124,000.

The third tier includes the following states: Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, West Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, and Massachusetts, with a range for annual mean salaries of only $115,000 to $119,000.

Lastly, the fourth tier contains the following states with annual mean salaries that range from $89,500 to $115,000: Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma, Utah, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Ohio. However, I, Nabil Fakih, believe that if you are truly passionate about doing the work of a pharmacist on a daily basis, the salary would not have to be a priority, unless you are the breadwinner of your family.

As an advocate of Arab-American rights and heritage, Nabil Fakih is a supporter of the Arab American National Museum. Located along Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan, a city with one of the biggest Arab-American populations in the country, the museum was founded in 2005 and is the first of its kind dedicated to showcasing the history and culture of Americans of Arab descent. Nabil Fakih lists a few reasons everyone, not just Arab-Americans, should visit the museum.

1. The museum showcases the history of people of Arab descent in the United States through permanent exhibits, starting with their arrival in the early days of the country, to the slow growth of the community, to the emergence of Arab-Americans as a cultural and economic force. Each of the museum’s three floors houses exhibits that trace this history. In addition, the courtyard hosts an exhibit devoted to Arab civilization. The museum also exhibits artwork from established and emerging Arab-American artists of any genre.

2. The Russell J. Ebeid Library and Resource Center is the largest collection of books and documents concerning Arab-Americans. The library has holdings of around 4,000 books, including literature, scholarly journals, graphic novels, and cookbooks. It also offers films, periodicals, a reading area, and free wi-fi. Several members of the Arab-American community have contributed their personal papers to the L&RC, including political scientist Michael W. Suleiman and literature scholar Evelyn Shakir.

3. The museum is also a hub for different events where the general public could be exposed to Arab-American culture. For January, the museum will show the film Al Helm: Martin Luther King in Palestine, a critically acclaimed musical film about the movement for non-violence in the West Bank. On Monday evenings and Saturday mornings, musician Michael Ibrahim also offers lessons in traditional Arabic music and instruments, including the tabla, riqq, and oud.