Patients wait outside, no pharmacists in sight

Number of pharmacists at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital is at least 10 times less than the required strength

Lack of manpower at the pharmacy adds to the woes of patients standing in long queues for medicines in Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Khichripur, east Delhi. The patients complain of lack of sensitivity by pharmacists and non-availability of medicines.

Krish, 4, developed a boil on his head. The doctor in the paediatrics department gave some basic medicines to cure the child. 

“I went to the medicine shop of the hospital and was snapped at the counter. They threw away my card saying 'we don't keep these medicines'. Next day, however, I got the medicines from a different counter of the same shop," said Sapna Kumari, Krish's mother, a resident of Khirchripur.

The pharmacy which provides free medicines at LBSH has one in-charge and three pharmacists. "The work of a pharmacist involves distributing medicines, making proper entries and explaining the usage to the patients. It takes two to three minutes per patient which makes it 120 patients a day. But each of us has to deal with 1,000 patients a day. 

“The mental and physical pressure results in misbehaviour towards the patients. We even do not have chairs and have to stand all day while distributing medicines," said a senior pharmacist at LBSH.

The counter for pregnant women opens only for an hour a day, which is managed by a member of an NGO. Otherwise this counter remains always shut. According to norms of the Pharmacy Council of India, a statutory body under the ministry of health and family welfare, a pharmacist is supposed to distribute medicines to nearly 100 patients a day. Going by the number of patients visiting the hospital daily, LBSH requires 30 pharmacists.

It is 10 times more than the current strength. Patients complain of shortage of drugs too. Sunita a resident of Mandawali says she comes regularly to the hospital and some basic drugs are always missing. “They do not have two out of five medicines prescribed by the doctor for my diabetes," she added.

The doctors said that the patients usually get costlier medicines in the hospital but they have to buy cheaper medicines from outside. "The real issue with our hospital is that it is over-crowded. The workforce provided by the government is according to the strength of 100 beds. 

“But we receive 3,000 patients a day. Even though all are not admitted, the burden on infrastructure and services is huge. Our doctors are also working beyond their capacity. 

The government has the plan to expand the services of the hospital, which will lead to the increase in workforce," said Dr Veer Singh, medical superintendent, LBSH.

Source: Deccan Herald

Final Seniority List of Pharmacists

GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI
HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT
TECHNICAL RECRUITMENT CELL
9TH LEVEL, A-WING, I.P.ESTATE, DELHI SECRETARIAT, NEW DELHI - 110002

No.F.11(7)/TRC/H&FW/2007/9163-97                                              Dated : 19.07.2011

To
All Heads of all Hospitals/Medical Institutions,
Govt. of NCT of Delhi,
Delhi/New Delhi.

Sub. : Forwarding of Final Seniority List of Pharmacist working in various Hospitals/ Medical Institutions under Govt. of NCT of Delhi.

Sir/Madam,

A Updated Tentative Seniority List of Pharmacist working in various Hospitals/Medical Institutions was circulated/forwarded to the hospitals/medical Institutions under Govt. of NCT of Delhi, vide letter of even number dated 02.12.2010 with the request that the same may be circulated amongst the concerned officials and verification of their particulars from their Service Records may be intimated to this office accordingly.

In response to this office letter of even number dated 02.12.2010 various representations/discrepancies were informed/observed and all the representations received for removal of discrepancies from Updated Tentative Seniority List of Pharmacist issued on 02.12.2010 have been duly considered and amendments made in the Final Seniority List.

The names of few officials in the updated tentative seniority list have not been verified/confirmed by Medical Superintendents of Govt. of NCT of Delhi. This department considers that Medical Superintendent of hospitals have not found any discrepancies in their details as indicated in the seniority list and the name of these officials are being finalized according to the updated tentative seniority list.

The Final Seniority List of Pharmacist as on date is being forward herewith with the request to circulate the same amongst the concerned official of your hospital/institution. The seniority list can be download from the department’s website i.e. http://www.health.delhigovt.nic.in/mis/frmlogin. aspx.
Yours faithfully,

Encl.: As above. Sd/-
                                                                                                         (KAMAL DEEP GUPTA)
                                                                                                      DY. SECRETARY (H&FW.)

No.F.11(7)/TRC/H&FW/2007/9163-97 Dated : 19.07.2011

Copy to :-
1. PS to Secretary (H&FW), H&FW Department, Delhi Secretariat, New Delhi.
2. OSD to Secretary (H&FW), H&FW Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, New Delhi, with the request to upload the same in the department website.

For List click here

                                                                                                                          Sd/-
                                                                                                                (KAMAL DEEP GUPTA)
                                                                                                                 DY. SECRETARY (H&FW.)

Indian Pharmacist Association

Dear friends,


Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) has been formed and registered recently.  
 

The aims and objectives for which the society is established are as under

a.                              To promote unity among the Pharmacists in the country.

b.                              To protect the interest and to promote service conditions, economic and social status of all pharmacists who are directly engaged in the Pharmacy profession.

c.                              To hold seminars, symposia, conference and exhibitions for promoting the cause of the profession of Pharmacy, education and research in a people oriented manner programme.

d.                              To edit and publish journals, books, magazines, documents and other publications for growing the cause of the profession of Pharmacy and education of Pharmacists.

e.                              To establish, maintain and finance or subsidize research laboratories, pharmaceutical colleges, national academy of pharmacy, institutes of Pharmacists (India) in collaboration with Pharmacy profession bodies of developed and developing countries and exchanging research scholars in Turnkey projects and to raise special funds by voluntary contribution, donations, endowments and grants for this purpose.

f.                                 To acquire, hold and dispose of the properties in the name of association.

g.                              To promote the science, art and technology of Pharmacy in all their aspects and mutual helpfulness among all Pharmacists in acquiring up-to-date knowledge in the fields of Pharmaceuticals and drugs.

h.                               To uphold the Ethics of the profession of Pharmacy.

i.                                  To affiliate with, subscribe to, become a member of and co-operation with any other association or body in or outside India whose objects are altogether in part similar to those of this association.

j.                                  To urge or represent on any legislation and other measures and to procure change of law and practice in the interest of the profession of Pharmacy in India.

k.                               To initiate or support legal action in any court of law or Tribunal or before any Authority on all matters affecting the association or the profession of Pharmacy.

l.                                  To raise issues of public interest regarding the profession of Pharmacy.

To do all such acts, deeds, matters and things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above objects.

The website of Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) is www.ipa.medlineindia.com

Pharmacists end strike in Uttarakhand

Striking pharmacists of government hospitals of Uttarakhand today announced to withdraw their stir after the state government agreed to their demands including salary at par with their counterparts in central government hospitals.

The pharmacists have decided to return to duty from tomorrow as the government has agreed to their demands, said SS Chauhan, spokesman of Uttarakhand diploma pharmacist association.
Nearly 1400 pharmacists of all the government hospitals went on a three-day strike yesterday causing inconvenience to the patients, who failed to get medicines from government hospitals.

The pharmacists were demanding salary at par with their counterparts working in central government hospitals, transfer of pharmacists to district hospitals from health sub-centres and creation of more posts for pharmacists in hospitals.

Source: DNA

10th National Pharmacist meet to be held in Thane

The 10th National Conference of Federation of Indian Pharmacist Organisation will be held here on April 23 and 24. This was announced here on Sunday at a conference held by State President of the Federation Satish Dhotre. Dhotre said that the two day meet will mainly discuss the various problems faced by pharmacists and also the long pending issue of wage revision to the pharmacists. Office bearers of the Federation of Indian Pharmacist Organisation (All India Pharmacist Federation) who met here a couple of days back finalised the event to be held at Thane. A large number of representatives of pharmacist Association drawn from the entire state were also present for the meeting where the venue was finalised. The meet will also include scientific seminars and technical paper presentations besides lectures by eminent figures from the field of Health and Pharmacy. He also said that all the Pharmacists working in health service department playing an important role will be benefited with advanced knowledge and information in the scientific seminar by various eminent speakers of Pharmacy department. More than 3000 pharmacists from all over the country will be present for the conference and will take part in the deliberations, he added.
Source: ibnlive

Compounder cannot be appointed a pharmacist

Over 20 years’ experience in handling medicines and working as a compounder is not enough to make a person eligible for being registered as a pharmacist, the Bombay high court has ruled. “The prayer made by association that its members should be registered as pharmacists, even though they are not qualified, cannot be granted,” said a division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice Amjad Sayed while dismissing an application filed by Shasakiya Nimshasakiya Aushadh Nirmata Mishrak Sanghatana. “It is surprising how the state is allowing these persons to handle the medicines for all these years even though they are not qualified,” the judges said.

The HC said while they may be handling medicines for many years, “it is dangerous to allow them to continue when they are not qualified”. The court added that none of the members would be allowed to work as pharmacists or compounders and given the task of mixing medicines. The HC said that if criminal action is to be taken against members of the sanghatana, a proper show-cause notice would be issued to such persons before prosecution is initiated according to
the law.

It is surprising how the state is allowing these persons to handle medicines even though they are not qualified..

Source: Times of India

Nimesulide and other drugs banned

Finally notification has been issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare vide Notification Number 71 dated 10th February, 2010 for banning
Nimesulide in children below 12 years,
Cisapride,
Phenylpropanolamine and its formulations,
Human Placental Extract and its formulations,
Sibutramine and its formulations
and R-sibutramine and its formulations.
For Notification visit the link.