Pharmaceutical Review (www.pharmareview.wordpress.com). It has been quoted by the Media that the Prime Minister has announced a new service structure for health professionals in which they have introduced new pay scales and have given the Medics (Doctors) a variation from a pay scale of 9-13 while the Pharmacists are kept at a lower pay scale starting from 8; affecting a total of 25000 Pharmacists in the country.
I would like to bring to your kind attention that, a Pharmacist seeks a degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) after 17 years of education along with extensive trainings. Pharmacy is a practising profession all over world which is very diverse in nature that is there is no difference in professional practice and jobs in comparison with medics.
Talking about the curriculum of PharmD, it is extensive and includes detailed medical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences along with Biotechnology, Mathematics and Statistics. The curriculum is consisting of 210 credit hours which is the highest Undergraduate course in Pakistan. Moreover, Pharmacists enter into service after vigorous practical training in clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and pharmacoepidemilogy.
This is the reason all developed world including UK, USA, Australia and Europe accept/recognise and allow practising Pakistan’s Pharmacy Degree.
You are kindly requested to raise your voice and convey the following demands to Provincial and Federal Governments
1 Pharmacist should be treated at par with medics (Doctors) in pay scale and non practising allowance. They should also be given SPS 9 at entry level and should be Further Promoted up to a highest level of SPS 13.
2 Pharmacist should also be provided a payed residence based Training in Hospital like House Jobs for medical graduates.
3 Pharmacist should be included in the any decision making committee or commission established to decide the futures of Health Professionals.
I as a the President of Pakistan Pharmacist Association, a legal representative body of pharmacist under Pharmacy Act of 1967, request you to guide/advise the authorities to review the decision and protect the nation from depriving of standard health care services, as the wastage of billions dollar investment in health system is due to the missing link of pharmacy. We request you to please protect morale and dignity of pharmacy profession and expect an impartial response from your good office.
Looking forward for your kind response.
Sincerely,
Syed Khalid Saeed Bukhari; President; Pakistan Pharmacist Association. 488 G, Johar Town, Lahore, Pakistan. Tel.: 0092 300 4005935, 0092 423 5894365. Email: skhs77@gmail.com, www.ppapak.com