Over-the-counter sale of antibiotics to be banned in Sindh, vows health minister

Sindh caretaker health minister Dr Saad Khalid Niaz on Saturday vowed to implement reforms in pharmacies and drug stores across the province, stating that the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics, unnecessary prescriptions by physicians, and self-medication were among the challenges contributing to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Pakistan.

“Although there are only a few weeks left for the caretaker setup, we will ensure that reforms are introduced for the medical stores and pharmacies operating in the province. We would try to ensure that pharmacies don’t work without trained and qualified pharmacists while the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics is prohibited,” stated Dr Niaz during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected office-bearers of the Pakistan Pharmacist Association (PPA) Sindh in Karachi.

Speakers at the event included Syed Adnan Rizvi, newly elected president of the PPA Sindh, Dr. Syed Mansoor Abbas Rizvi, Dean of Pharmacy University of Karachi Prof. Fayyaz Vaid, and others. The ceremony, attended by a large number of pharmacists, individuals from the pharmaceutical industry, and academia, addressed the need for reforms in the pharmaceutical sector.

The health minister emphasised the importance of discipline in the sensitive business of medicines, stating that reforms in clinical and hospital pharmacy sectors were crucial. He expressed concerns about the availability of antibiotics in the country and the rise of multi-drug-resistant diseases, citing the example of multi-drug-resistant typhoid.

“I have worked and practiced abroad, and I know how regulated and controlled this business is. So we are working on it. Though we have a very short space of time left, we would ensure the program which would lead to the presence of pharmacists at every pharmacy,” he added.

While disagreeing with the outright abolition of the concept of “medical stores,” he suggested transforming them into drugs stores offering only non-prescription medicines. He urged pharmacists to ensure their licenses were not used for malpractices and encouraged cooperation with government and regulatory bodies to implement laws. “I fully agree with the idea that there should be one pharmacist at each 50-bed health facility,” he said, referring to a proposal presented during his speech.

“I would really want to make moves in this regard at all government hospitals and would also ask the private sector to ensure these standards at their facilities. We don’t have a shortage of trained and professional manpower. We just need to channelize and utilize them.”

Adnan Rizvi, the newly-elected PPA president, briefed the ceremony about the association's manifesto, focusing on improving the working environment and professional capacity building for pharmacists. He called on the pharmaceutical industry to offer good working environments and competitive salary packages to young graduates to prevent brain drain.

“I would ask the pharma industry to review their salary packages and absorb the maximum number of young graduates to stop the brain drain,” he said.

Prof Dr Faiyaz H M Vaid, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Karachi, seconded the opinion and called for better coordination between educational institutions and the pharma industry, emphasising the benefits for students, young graduates, and the healthcare system. The ceremony concluded with a call for ongoing collaboration among stakeholders for the betterment of the pharmaceutical sector and healthcare in the province.