KARACHI: Medication errors, compounded by the lack of trained pharmacists, are causing over 500,000 deaths annually in Pakistan, according to healthcare experts at a Medication Safety Conference held on Saturday.
With only 5% of pharmacies employing qualified pharmacists and half of the country’s hospitals operating without them, the situation poses a severe public health crisis.
Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Asim Rauf, admitted that like other nations, Pakistan struggles with medication errors involving adverse drug effects, incorrect dosages, and improper administration.
“Doctors are not trained to identify medication errors, but pharmacists are equipped to prevent harm. We are working to ensure that pharmacies have qualified pharmacists, as WHO emphasizes that medication errors are preventable,” he stated.
Rauf urged healthcare professionals to report adverse drug reactions to DRAP as part of pharmaco vigilance measures. He added that unexplained deaths following drug administration should be thoroughly investigated.
Director of Alkhidmat Pharmacy Services, Syed Jamshed Ahmed, revealed that only 3,000 of Pakistan’s 60,000 pharmacies have trained pharmacists.
“The rest function like grocery stores where unqualified staff dispenses medications, often with lethal consequences. Running a pharmacy without a pharmacist should be considered a crime,” he said.
Syed Jamshed Ahmed emphasized the importance of strict regulations and shared Alkhidmat’s efforts to provide safe medications through its network of pharmacies staffed by trained professionals.
Former Director of Pharmacy Services, Abdul Latif Shaikh, highlighted illegible handwritten prescriptions as a significant contributor to medication errors.
“When untrained staff attempt to interpret unclear prescriptions, the result is often fatal. Medication safety begins with using high-quality raw materials in drug manufacturing and ends with accurate administration,” he noted.
Shaikh stressed the need to incentivize the reporting of medication errors rather than penalizing healthcare providers. “Fear of prosecution prevents reporting, which hinders improvements in patient safety,” he added.
Alkhidmat’s Director of Medical Services, Dr Saqib Ansari, proposed introducing one-year paid internships for pharmacists.
“Hands-on training can reduce errors and provide job opportunities domestically and internationally. Pharmacists have proven their ability to reduce hospital mortality by assisting doctors,” he said.
Dr Zahid Latif, Chairman of Alkhidmat Foundation, highlighted their role as Pakistan’s largest welfare organization, offering discounted medications and guidance on proper usage through their pharmacies.
Sheikh Kaiser Waheed, a representative of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufactur-ers Association (PPMA), lamented that 90% of pharmacists, mostly women, do not work after graduation.
“Parents should encourage both sons and daughters to actively contribute to the profession after completing their education,” he urged.
Executive Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) shared how they ensure proper medication dispensation for hundreds of cardiac patients daily.
Similarly, Tabba Heart Institute’s Managing Director, Prof Bashir Hanif, described safety measures at his facility, including techniques to mitigate harm from high-risk medications.
The conference also featured insights from senior physicians, including Prof Abdul Malik and Prof Azeem Uddin from Aga Khan University, who emphasized the critical role of pharmacists in improving patient outcomes.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments