Stringent measures are needed to ensure that all pharmacies and stores dispensing medicines are necessarily manned by qualified as well as licensed pharmacists in the country.
This was recommended by teachers associated with Baqai Institute of Pharmacological Sciences (BIPS) on Friday during an informal meeting with the members of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan. Taking strong exception to “over the counter” sale of medicines, generally by unqualified men at medical stores, they said the violation of law must be curtailed with iron hands.
The faculty members of the institute as well as those associated with the profession registered their serious concern that adequate job opportunities did not exist for many of the qualified graduates in the country.
“Consequently, we witness constant brain drain with masses being the ultimate sufferer,” said Prof Shaukat Khalid, Dean BIPS. The senior teacher said easy availability of medicines and irrational use of drugs have emerged as a serious challenge leading to steady increase in the instance of drug resistance among the people.
“These are serious health issues that can not be ignored,” she said. PCP Secretary Tanwir Ahmed Siddiqui said the council was fully conscious of its responsibilities to ensure that updated training and quality education are imparted to the students registered for B Pharmacy and M Pharmacy programmes in every institution registered with PSP.
Associate Prof Muhammad Ali Sheeraz on the occasion referred to different posts lying vacant for quite some time in different government departments for want of qualified pharmacists and pharmacologists.
Earlier, an inspection team comprising Chief Inspector of Drug Dr Kifayatullah, Federal Drug Inspector Dr Najmus Saqib, PCP Secretary Tanwir Siddiqui, Prof Syed Ayub Ali, WHO Coordinator, Khalid Saeed Bukhari, Dr Syed Umer Jan from University of Balochistan and Director, Drug Regulatory Authority, Dr Javed Iqbal were briefed about the facilities available at the BIPS.
The team took an extensive round of the Institute, including its laboratories, lecture rooms and also took into stock the qualifications and expertise of the faculty members.
Pro-Vice Chancellor of Baqai Medical University, Prof Mohammad Aslam, informed the team that the institute functional since 2008 has been making constant inroads focussed towards quality training for its graduates.
The ensuing discussion between the team and BIPS teachers was also attended by Chancellor BMU Prof Fariduddin Baqai and Vice-Chancellor Prof Zahida Baqai.
Brain drain? Really? If one becomes addicted to medicine and does not take it as prescribed they more than likely suffer from other mental illnesses. Their brains were already drained. But yay more excuses to deny people basic pharmaceutics that may help them.
It is not the fear of becoming resistant because if you take them as prescribed it wont happen. It is about control.
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