KP to appoint pharmacists at hospitals

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has drafted a drug policy that calls for the appointment of pharmacists at the state-run hospitals, the setting up drug testing labs at divisional levels and the recruitment of drug inspectors in tehsils.

A handout said a meeting to discuss the drug policy was convened which was chaired by Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah.Deputy Secretary Drugs Ibrahim, DG for Drugs and Pharmacy Services Dr. Abbas, and a delegation from the Young Pharmacists Community, among other officials from those from the Drug Directorate.

The proposed policy for the provision of standardized medicines to the province’s citizens was presented in the meeting.The health minister was informed that, according to World Health Organization standards, pharmacists’ appointments at hospitals will be brought in line with pharmacy services.

Under the policy, pharmacist services will be integrated with health centres. The document says doctors would prescribe medicines based on formulas instead of brands, which will eliminate brand pricing and supply manipulation from the drug market.

The minister was informed that there was a shortage of pharmacists in KP. He was told that the KP was the first province where a separate Drug Directorate General had been established, from where e-drug sale licenses were issued, and online access to drug testing laboratory reports had been made available.

As per Supreme Court orders, one pharmacist’s appointment for 50 beds is mandatory. Through this policy, the appointment of pharmacists in hospitals will ensure public access to standardized medicines at lower rates.

The policy will also help reduce the harmful effects of medications by enhancing pharmacovigilance and anti-biotech resistance in hospitals, as well as in maintaining drug storage and supply chains. The implementation of the policy will assist in curbing counterfeit and substandard medicines in the market.

Currently, there are only 56 drug inspectors appointed in the entire province who were monitoring registered and unregistered pharmacies, totaling 17,000.A proposal to establish a Drug Information and Poison Control Center in the province has been put forward as part of the policy.

The centre will provide guidance on any kind of poisoning or drug overdoses online or through phone calls. The implementation of the policy will enable the identification of the pharmacy profession and the pharmacist community throughout the province.

A delegation from the Young Pharmacist Community expressed gratitude to the Health Minister on behalf of pharmacists across the province for showing consent for the approval of the policy.The health minister said the policy would be presented to the cabinet for approval after full deliberations.