Young Pharmacists on strike for their Rights

ISLAMABAD: Young Progressive Pharmacist Association (YPPA) was on strike yesterday in opposition to the verdict made by the Government to install the fresh pharmacists as Class-II Gazette Officer rather than Class-I Gazette Officer. 

Following the successful dialogue with young doctors associations a new summary of revised scale system was planned by the ministry of health to reimburse young physicians. In accordance with the summary young physicians will have the benefit of the SPS-09 (equivalent to BPS-18) while young pharmacist is relapsed back to SPS-07(equivalent to BPS-16) and integrated in the list of paramedic staff. 

Mubasir Ahmed, Vice president Pakistan pharmacist association says, "The summary has been signed by the Prime Minster without the consultation of the pharmacists. Senior pharmacists who are the part of health ministry and involved in policy making are playing political game and destroying the career of thousand of pharmacists working in Pakistan".

He added, "Pharmacists are more competent and have more knowledge regarding drugs management than that of physicians so government should treat both these medical experts equally but due to the unawareness, general public don't know the role of a drug specialist."

According to DG health Dr. Asad Hafeez, "All the pharmacists who were enrolled in public sector as first class officers will be shifted to grade 16 according to the new summary". 

Anam Niazi, Student pharmacist UOL says, "We are totally confused and frustrated about the future of pharmacist in Pakistan. This was the only hope in public sector for a pharmacist to be the drug inspector but government has snatched that post from us. We will continue the strike until and unless the pharmacists are not given all those benefits which have been granted to the physicians because both possess equivalent qualification and academic duration”. 

Worldwide pharmacists are regarded as an esteemed part of the medical society but Pakistan and particularly the government of Pakistan is yet to understand and finalize their place in Pakistan’s medical community. Young pharmacists have also requested the chief justice of Pakistan to take so motto action against this pronouncement and salt away the prospect of thousands of students and young graduated pharmacists of Pakistan.