Over 75pc pharmacies functioning without qualified pharmacists, says expert

KARACHI: Over 75% of pharmacies in Pakistan are functioning without trained and qualified pharmacists to dispense medical prescriptions; only about 15% of qualified pharmacists are engaged in community pharmacy, said Dr Syed Zafar Zaidi, CEO, Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), and Dean-Indus University of Health Sciences (IUHS) on Saturday.

“As a result, pharmacy workforce in Pakistan is decades behind their counterparts in the developed world. It is partly due to the reluctance of doctors to engage pharmacists in providing direct healthcare service, unawareness in patients that they can consult pharmacists and many other factors,” Dr Zaidi said while speaking at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing Ceremony between IHHN and local pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo.

Under the MoU signed between the two organizations, PharmEvo is providing both, financial and technical resources for the construction of the upcoming ‘Ibne Sina College of Pharmacy’, Indus University of Health Sciences at the New Hospital Building in Korangi, Karachi.

Dr Zaidi went on to brief the audience on the acute challenges of Pharmacy education in Pakistan and maintained that limited interaction between doctors and pharmacists; lack of industry experience and a dearth of job opportunities in pharmaceutical care services were among some other issues faced by the pharmacists’ community in Pakistan.

“In these circumstances, we believe that Ibne Sina College of Pharmacy will pursue an aim to be a college of international standard and stature by implementing a world-class curriculum, instilling compassion in its students, creating linkages between academia and industry, fostering collaborative learning and offering a model of experiential learning”, he maintained.

President IHHN, Dr Abdul Bari Khan, acknowledged PharmEvo’s remarkable support towards the Ibne Sina College of Pharmacy, commenting that PharmEvo’s generosity clearly demonstrates the priority and value they place in laying the foundation of a world-class university in Pakistan, which will nurture the next generation of healthcare leaders, particularly in the field of pharmacy. “

IHHN takes pride in partnering with PharmEvo and we look forward to working with them for our united vision of high-quality education to address the human capital challenges in Pakistan”, he said, adding that they were thrilled to enter into a partnership with its most formidable partner, PharmEvo, for the development of world-class pharmacists. “We pray that our partnership with PharmEvo continues to reinforce our noble mission”, he hoped.

Chairman Premier Group, Ebrahim Qasim appreciated IHHN and Indus University of Health Sciences for championing the world-class health education in Pakistan particularly for pharmacists. “The pressing need for skilled and talented pharmacists in Pakistan’s fragile healthcare infrastructure cannot be overstated. Our society is in dire need of healthcare professionals who can make a tangible impact on the well-being of our people.

“We are striving for the creation of a healthier society through industry academia collaboration, which is the need of the moment for the country”, Ebrahim Qassim said adding that PharmEvo is known in pharmaceutical industry as a pioneer in socially responsible organization. Our values of respect, trust, integrity, ethics and excellence are completely aligned with those of IHHN and the organization’s compassion has shone through its remarkable commitment towards constructing the Ibne Sina College of Pharmacy.

Others present on the occasion were Haroon Qassim, Managing Director, PharmEvo, and Syed Jamshed Ahmed, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the pharmaceutical firm. From IHHN, Chairman, Board of Directors, Abdul Karim Paracha, Chairman, Resource Generation & Partnerships Committee, Board of Directors, Salim Tabani and Syed Mashhood Rizvi, Executive Director, Communications & Resource Development were also in attendance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023