End our despondency
Eyram Hameed Khan, Zeeshan Rasool Khan
Pharmacy is the branch of science that links health science with chemical science and it is well concerned with discovery, development, production, and distribution of the drugs. It aims to ensure the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.
Pharmacists are the medication experts, which proffer information, advice to help patients, and successfully manage their medication therapy with minimum side effects. Pharmacists have the knowledge, skill, and expertise, enough to be trusted. Pharmacists are among the most accessible health care professionals.
All these characteristics goad students to opt for the pharmacy course. Thus, in aspiration of a good future, students apply for the pharmacy profession. However, as their graduation ends they find themselves in a state of confusion – thinking about what they should do now. They find meager avenues.
And fortunately, if one gets a job he is bound to work for unsatisfying payment, not sufficient to earn his livelihood. The other option left for them is to go for higher studies. So finally, the student turns post-graduate but the situation for him remains the same. Again, if he goes for research yet he has to struggle for a job, which is no longer a fault of a student. Because he has nowhere to go but to do something to earn his livelihood. Therefore, what is the solution to the problem? What is the solution to face this critical situation?
When students finish studies, they look for the job. But the political and bureaucratic conduct has disheartened the youth and killed their aspiration. Just weeks ago a report about the Pharmacist recruitment scandal appeared in some daily newspapers. The report revealed that after 3-years of wait the pharmacist aspirants/candidates were asked that the department is not in a position to accept the recommendations due to the non-availability of posts. Pertinently, aspirants appeared in written test followed by viva-voce and cleared all required formalities regarding the appointment.
Undoubtedly, there are many hospitals which are sans qualified staff. It needs no evidence that most of the health care centers in our valley are less functional due to the unavailability of the workforce but aspiring pharmacists despite equipped with capabilities are not being considered to induce them into the sector.
Also, in the field of pharmacy, the system fails an aspirant, which the current batch has realized. There are some loopholes in their regulatory policy, which has drowned the pharmacy profession.
First, whether you complete the D pharma, B pharma, or M pharma, you enter into hospital as a pharmacist that has been placed in 5200- 20200-pay band that is sheer injustice with these professionals.
Secondly, a pharmacist does not get the place that he deserves in his department. Our medical and health profession is so complicated that pharmacy is as such neglected. There are large numbers of vacancies for a GNM as compared to the pharmacist in a hospital but the responsibility for accurate dispensing is only of pharmacists.
The need of the hour is to look into the issue so that the youngsters who are already in a state of discombobulating would not suffer more. They have done what they ought to do – worked studiously to bring home a degree and experience, now it is the job of concerned authorities’ to safeguard their future.
(The writers can be reached at mohdzeeshan605@gmail.com)
