December 14, 2024
Annual NAPAP Gala - December 2024 | Volume 1
NAPAP was founded by the late Shahnawaz Khan with the ultimate purpose of supporting Pakistani American pharmacists by providing job opportunities, facilitating professional connections, promoting continued pharmacy education, and fostering a sense of community.
The role of pharmacists has evolved significantly over the years, playing a crucial part in patient care and safety, disease prevention, and overall public health. However, alongside these positive advancements come a range of challenges that New York State (NYS) community pharmacists face, such as low reimbursement rates, the ongoing struggle between community pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), competition with larger chains, and the opioid crisis.
These are the issues that NAPAP is actively working to address by engaging with local officials and advocating for change. As the year-end approaches, NAPAP celebrates its many successful events and looks forward to an exciting lineup for 2025. Our organization continues to grow, and we can't do it without your support!
Paramount Pharmacy Group was honored to sponsor and be a part of NAPAP's First Annual Gala. We are proud to partner with a great community of pharmacists who have worked tirelessly for generations to bring meaningful change to the pharmacy world. Together, we can reshape the future of independent pharmacy and help one another succeed and grow.
We are especially grateful to Nasir Iqbal, President of NAPAP, and Asif Noor, Chairman, for giving us the opportunity to come together, align our common goals, and explore ways to give back to the community we have worked so hard to build. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire NAPAP team for their kindness, hospitality, and most importantly, their trust.
We look forward to a successful 2025 and hope to bring to life the change we have all envisioned together.
Welcome to Our First NAPAP Gala
Salam, esteemed guests, members, and friends of the National Association of Pakistani American Pharmacists!
On behalf of the entire organizing committee, I want to express our deepest gratitude for your presence here tonight. This gala is a celebration of our collective achievements, made possible by all of you—dedicated pharmacists, healthcare professionals, leaders, and supporters—who have helped us grow as a thriving community.
Tonight, we not only reflect on the remarkable strides we have made together, but we also look ahead to the future—a future where our contributions to healthcare, our communities, and our profession will continue to expand.
The support, hard work, and passion of each one of you make the vision of NAPAP a reality. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, partners, and volunteers, whose generosity and commitment ensure our success year after year. And of course, we sincerely thank our attendees for taking the time to join us tonight to celebrate, network, and engage with one another.
President’s Corner
As President of NAPAP, I am honored to lead this organization during this pivotal year, 2024.
This year, we were deeply saddened by the passing of our esteemed Chairman, Shahnawaz Khan. His vision, leadership, and dedication left an indelible mark on NAPAP and the pharmacy profession. His humble approach and unwavering willingness to help others touched thousands of lives. We honor his legacy and remain inspired by his commitment to excellence and service.
The future of pharmacy is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. By working together across diverse practice settings, seeking solutions, partnering with outside vendors, and advocating for expanded roles in patient care, we can elevate the impact of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on healthcare outcomes.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the NAPAP Board of Directors for their support during this time and for their steadfast leadership as we move forward. Together, we will continue to advance our mission, strengthen our profession, and ensure a healthier future for the communities we serve.
Chairman’s Message
In these challenging times, as always, we face many obstacles. Over the past five years, we have grown from just five members to 125 members. We are steadily climbing uphill and hope to reach new heights in the years to come.
The pharmacy profession is encountering many difficulties—mail-order services, low reimbursement rates, oversaturation due to pharmacies opening on every corner, and declining profits and incomes. Even large chain stores are struggling to survive.
We inherited these circumstances, but we made a decision to unite under the name of NAPAP. I hope and urge all well-established pharmacists to stand with us in pursuit of our common goals and interests.