Hyderabad: The appointment of pharmacists who have the right knowledge to administer medicines is not being adhered to despite there being qualified pharmacists in the country. A nationwide agitation will be launched on the eve of World Pharmacists Day that falls on September 25.
Telangana Government Pharmacists Association advisor Dr Rapolu Satyanarayana stated that in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the drug stores in primary health centres and government hospitals are handled by medical officers and non-technical staff, despite there being vacant posts for pharmacists.
A senior pharmacist on condition of anonymity explained, “The department of dispensing medicine was earlier under the control of doctors as there were no qualified pharmacists. This control exists even now and doctors are not willing to give it up.” There are over 6,000 unemployed pharmacists and they demand that the government must ensure that dispensing medicines is done by staff trained for it so that adverse side effects can be prevented and illegal use of antibiotic medicines can be curbed.
