Pharmaceutical Review (www.pharmarev.com). A delegate of pharmacist community has visited to Mr. Abdul Jalil Joint Secretary, Health / PDM Cabinet Block, Islamabad, Pakistan regarding the revised six year curriculum of Pharm-D proposed by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. The delegate comprised of as under;
1. Dr. Taha Nazir Associate Professor, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. Mr. Iradat Hussain, Margalla Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
3. Mr. Zia Uddin University of Malakant, KPK, Vice President Pakistan Pharmacist Federation, KPK.
4. Dr. Ahmad Saeed Malik; Chief Organizer Young Pharmacist Association, Pakistan.
5. Ahmed Salman Javed Media Adviser, Pharmacist Federation Pakistan.
The members of this delegate has emphasized Joint Secretary, Health / PDM Cabinet Block to avoid implementation of this new six year Pharm-D program proposed by Higher Education Commission, Islamabad without proper vetting. Especially the extension of duration in prevailing financial situation is big burden and will contribute to worsen the economic situation of students and their parents. Hence; Mr. Abdul Jalil Joint Secretary, Health / PDM Cabinet has accepted the raised issues. He told to the expert pharmacists that the points raised will be considered and discussed before formal implementation.
The graduating pharmacist, in present scenario are higher than need in health care system or jobs available in health sectors. Thus; the overwhelming majority of pharmacy graduates are unemployed. Moreover; the one year pre-registration training become useless when student are already academically bound to work with pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, community pharmacies and health care settings to get initial training/ apprenticeship/ clerkship for two years (from 7th semester to 10th semester). In advance countries, pre-registration training is mandatory and instituted to compensate the resource deficiency, structured and well-paid by the state.