SWAT: The local chapter of Pakistan Pharmacist Association (PPA) has demanded of the government to immediately hire professional pharmacists in all the hospitals, basic health units and dispensaries in the district.

Led by PPA district president Dr Iftikhar Shah, the office-bearers of the association including general secretary Dr Ayaz Khan, vice president Dr Sahib Shah, senior vice president Dr Arshad Khan, Dr Asghar Khan, Dr Ishaq Khan and others were talking to journalists at Swat Press Club where they raised different issues.

They said that pharmacists prescribed medicines to patients after physicians’ checkup in the world but the practice was not followed in Pakistan.

“We demand of the government to immediately hire professional doctors of pharmacy in each and every hospital, BHU and dispensary so that proper medication is prescribed to the patients,” they said. They said that doctor of pharmacy was a proper five-year programme and every year about 1,000 pharmacists got degrees but they were deprived of jobs.

“In our medical stores, majority of people have category-C certificate, which is a six-month diploma. We demand of the government to immediately abolish the category-C diploma as holders of the diploma have occupied the positions of professional and qualified pharmacists,” they said.

The PPA leaders also demanded of the government to close the category B colleges in the country. “We demand of the government to hire drug inspector at tehsil level,” they said. They added that there were many vacant positions of drug inspectors in the province.

“The pharmacists in government hospitals are assigned other duties and the medicines stores and supply chain management have been given to laymen which has disturbed the entire system,” they said. The PPA leaders said that the health allowance given to MBBS doctors should also be awarded to pharmacists working in the government health facilities.

“About 14 positions of pharmacists lie vacant in Saidu Teaching Hospital and we demand of the government to immediately fill all the vacant positions,” they demanded.

MNA: Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah said that the PTI government failed to address public issues.

Addressing a press meet in Swat Press Club on Sunday, he said that the ‘selected’ government was incompetent that led the country to a complete collapse in every sector.

“Today the incompetent rulers pushed the country 50 years back and crushed the poor under financial burden. Prices of all the daily use items have been increased to a record level,” he said. He added that PTI introduced a culture of foul language in parliament its lawmakers did not bother about legislation.

“PPP will not sit silent on these issues and will stand against every non-democratic step. We want to strengthen the state institutions but we do not allow them to exceed their powers,” said the lawmaker.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2020