MP Mohul Proposes To Appoint Pharmacists In Govt Hospitals

Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Md. Nasser Shahrear Zahedee Mohul has proposed to appoint graduate pharmacists in all government hospitals of the country to ensure proper health care of patients in line with the world.

Health Minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen has promised in the parliament that by accepting his proposal, necessary steps will be taken to appoint an appropriate number of pharmacists in the hospitals.

Member of Parliament Nasser Shahrear Zahedee drew the attention of the Health Minister to this issue during the question and answer session in Parliament today (February 6).

At that time, he said, "Doctors, nurses and pharmacists play an important role in the health care of all developed and developing countries of the world. The main responsibility of a hospital pharmacist is to advise on the purchase, storage, distribution and proper use of drugs in the hospital. That is why it is essential to hire a graduate pharmacist in the hospital. But the sad fact is that Bangladesh is probably the only country in the world where no posts for graduate pharmacists have been created in any government hospital. As a result no graduate pharmacist is working in any government hospital. As a result, doctors, nurses and patients are completely deprived of the contribution that the professional pharmacist could have made to the medical system. In order to ensure modern, quality and standard health care for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh, I propose to immediately appoint a graduate pharmacist registered by the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council in the hospitals of Bangladesh."

In response to this, the health minister said that currently there are 37 posts of pharmacists in various government institutions. And 10 posts of pharmacists have been created for government hospitals. These posts will be filled soon.

Naser Shahrear Zahedee, while raising supplementary questions, said, "According to international standards, there must be one pharmacist for every 20 beds. But even though only 10 posts have been created in Bangladesh, no pharmacist has been appointed yet. In such a situation, the proper health care of patients is being disrupted."

He said, currently there are 66 thousand beds in government hospitals in the country. Now even if one pharmacist is appointed against every 50 beds, it would require about 3,300 pharmacists. There are only 10 very insignificant. In such circumstances, he wanted to know whether any initiative would be taken to form a committee to appoint pharmacists in all hospitals and expressed his intention to be part of such a committee as a pharmacist himself.

In response to this, the Health Minister accepted the proposal and promised to discuss in his office, form a committee or take other necessary steps regarding the appointment of pharmacists.