Pharmacists refused share in the doctors’ revised pay cadre

By
Faizan Zakaria Polani
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17
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Not agreeing with the idea of giving the pharmacists a share in the new service structure for the doctors, Ministry of Health is treading on dangerous grounds with the Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA), increasing the risk of another health department crisis in the country.
The prime minister had approved a summary of a new service structure for health professionals wherein new pay scales from FPS 9 to 13 have been introduced for doctors. Ironically, pharmacists have been relegated to FPS 8, which means that they will be working under the doctors. It is this alleged “discrimination” on part of the government which has invoked a sense of deprivation among pharmacists.
Ministry of health is of the view that due to the duty hours, tough training and the scope of work, doctors deserve FPS 9 more than the pharmacist do. On the other hand pharmacists are of the opinion that they work 8 hours a day in hospitals which is equal to the doctor’s duty hours and duration of degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) after graduation is 5 years which is equal to the doctor’s duration of degree.
When contacted Director General Health Asad Hafiz, who is also president of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan, said, “Doctors have to go through a tough training and the nature of their job is hard as compared to pharmacist and that’s why they have been given FPS 9.”
He said that earlier pharmacists had pharmacy B degree with course duration of three years after graduation so how could they be given equal status to doctors, “But the negotiations are on lets see what happens as everyone has right to show their concerns,” DG health said.
Dr Syed Khalid Saeed Bukhari, president Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA) told Pakistan Today that pharmacists were being discriminated against as DG Health being the head of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan doesn’t know that since 2002 duration of degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) after 12 grade is 5 years, which is equal of doctors. “This under graduate course is of longest duration consisting of 210 credit Hours to meet the international requirements,” he said.
He said ironically the spokesperson of health ministry recently said that Pharmacy was three year course after 12 grade and that was why health ministry has given them CHSP 8. “Being the spokesperson he is unaware of his ministry’s Pharmacy council’s Gazette Notification of Pharm D course,” he said.
He said that the health authorities should re-consider the proposed health professionals career structure while addressing the genuine and well founded demands of the PPA. He said since the doctors and pharmacists were educated for the same number of years, the pharmacists should be placed in the same cadre of SPS-9. “The decision will affect almost entire pharmacist community of the country comprising 25000 people,” he said.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. Excelent Artical writer has comand on the subject Every where outside country these Politician, Beurocates a nd Genrals get tretment with support of Pharmacist but when comes to Pakistan they refuse role of Pharmacist in heath care.

  2. Very well written article, obviously showing the professional concerns of pharmacists how ever this is a great matter of shame that the president of pharmacy council don't even knows that what is the duration of Pharm D course? Then how he can head the department or lead the profession. One main thing that the Pharmacy council should be headed by Pharmacist a DG pharmacy must be appointed to fight for the profession.
    S.K Bangash

    • mr well 1st u read the article clearly wd open eyes 3 times thn u will undrstand tht the presidnt of department hs mentioned the duration of "b pharm" 3 years not d pharm…he had mentioned 5 years same like mbbs duration for d pharm 3 times…kindly read the article again r if still didnt undrstand thn kindly translate it thn i hope u will better undrstand wht is said..

  3. Very well written article, obviously showing the professional concerns of pharmacists how ever this is a great matter of shame that the president of pharmacy council don't even knows that what is the duration of Pharm D course? Then how he can head the department or lead the profession. One main thing that the Pharmacy council should be headed by Pharmacist a DG pharmacy must be appointed to fight for the profession.

  4. Very well written Article in which the present status has been described. Dr Asad Hafeez being president of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan must be aware of the course duration, course outlines & the trainings through which the pharmacist undergoes before graduation. This will create a lot of trouble if the “discrimination” is not re discussed. Further more a pharmacist professional must be included at the time of such policy makings that there are no troubles at the time of implementation.

  5. Very well written article, highlighting the pharmacy profession. Obviously health department will be in a big trouble if the said “discrimination” is there. More over Dr Asad Hafeez must take an action for the support of Pharmacists.

  6. The B.Pharmacy Degree which the worthy D.G. Health refers to was 3 years approx. 32 years back and there after the University Grants Commission approved B. Pharmacy as 4 years under UGC Scheme of Professional Graduation Education. The 4 years Degree course has now been further upgraded to 5 years Doctor of Pharmacy since 2002 to bring this degree to international standard. The Pharm D degree holders no longer need to give equivalance exams in USA, UK and other developed countries. The respectable, DG Health should update himself. Perhaps he has refered to the information which he got at the time of his own addmission about 30-35 years back.
    The Pharmacists are in no way behind the doctors as far as the education, credit hours or training is concerned. Their demand for the equal right is very well justified and should be honoured by the Govt. if they want to see the Health Care system of Pakistan to be in line with the developed countries in future.

  7. DG health ko joty mary jaye sab k samny and us ka pharmacist license cancel hona chahye.

  10. All the medical doctors who come to UK or USA for higher qualification or practice do recognize the role of pharmacists and they cannot stand a single day without the help of their whole team which has a "pharmacist" as an integral part. I do not know what goes wrong with them, after landing in Pakistan 😀 I call it "ignorance" and "superiority complex".
    someone said it in very good words that " respect is earned not governed" and our fellow medical doctors should act upon the above mentioned quotation.
    I hope one day pharmacists in Pakistan will enjoy the same status and role as of UK and any other developed country's pharmacist. INSHALLAH

  12. very well written. Pharmacists keep on moving ahead. But it is shameful for the president of pharmacy council who even don't know the worth of pharmcy. Pharmacist are the drug experts and highly paid abroad, then pharmacy president must realise their worth and importance otherwise he is not able to be on the seat of pharmcy council president.

  13. what rabbish …… whats wrong wd mr dg this is openly duscrimination dg who appointed sir dg on ds job he even dont know the aout credit hour n professional job of pharmasist he iz not capable of what he iz

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