In a rather alarming revelation, it has come to light that 95% of pharmacies, medical stores and half of the hospitals in the country are in fact operating without a qualified pharmacist.
The disclosure was made during the Medication Safety Conference in Karachi where various experts and industry professionals underscored the key issue plaguing the country’s health sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) Asim Rauf said the necessary technical expertise possessed by qualified pharmacists.
“Doctors are not trained to identify medication errors, whereas pharmacists are equipped to prevent harm from drug misuse,” he said, adding: “No hospital or pharmacy should run without pharmacists, and we are working to ensure safer medication practices in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.”
The official further also urged healthcare professionals to report adverse drug reactions to strengthen pharmacovigilance systems and prevent unexplained deaths linked to medication errors.
Addressing the event, Alkhidmat Pharmacy Services Director Jamshed Ahmed, while lamenting the condition of pharmacies in the country, said: “The remaining 95% [pharmacies] are operated like grocery stores by untrained staff who often dispense the wrong medicines, leading to fatal outcomes”.
