Staff Correspondent

At the initiative of the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council, a stakeholder consultative meeting on  “Role and Recruitment of Graduate Pharmacists in Hospital Healthcare” was held on Friday  at a hotel in the city. The meeting was presided over by Md. Naser Shahriar Zahedi, Chairman of the Hospital Pharmacy Committee of the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council.The chief guest at the event was Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman,  Special Assistant to the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Special guests included  Mohammad Saidur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council and Secretary of the Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Professor Dr. Chowdhury Mahmud Hasan, Vice President of the Pharmacy Council. The keynote speaker was Dr. Yu Lee Chang, elected President of the Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations.Also present were Mr. Mohammad Mahbubul Haque, Secretary of the Bangladesh Pharmacy Council; Mr. Azibur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Pharmacists Forum; Mehedi Hasan Tanvir, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Pharmacists Forum; deans and department heads/chairpersons of pharmacy faculties from council-recognized universities; expert representatives from the Accreditation and Education Committee; faculty members teaching hospital pharmacy courses; members of the Hospital Pharmacy Committee; and hospital pharmacists from various private hospitals.In his speech, the chief guest and special assistant to the advisor, Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, stated that the government is considering creating positions to incorporate pharmacists into the healthcare system. He emphasized the importance of considering community pharmacists in career planning as well.Professor Rahman noted that while there is a balance between doctors and nurses in hospitals under the current practice, pharmacists represent a distinct field. New guidelines are being developed to create hospital pharmacist positions. He also remarked that although some may question the presence of pharmacists in retail settings, many people have relied on those outlets for healthcare, making them essential to the broader community.Addressing pharmacy educators, he stressed the need to change both the curriculum and the mindset of pharmacy students to inspire them to actively participate in healthcare. For instance, just as doctors know they might work in rural areas, pharmacy graduates should recognize that a medicine shop can only be considered a "pharmacy" with their presence.He further stated that new initiatives are being introduced and should be welcomed. Positions are being created for pharmacists in the healthcare system, and teamwork is essential.Professor Rahman also attributed the low quality of hospital services in part to the overwhelming number of patients compared to the system’s capacity.Mr. Mohammad Saidur Rahman, President of the Pharmacy Council and Secretary of the Health Services Division, stated that pharmacist positions have been created in public hospitals, with six posts assigned to 600-bed hospitals. However, these are block positions with no promotional track, which may discourage talented pharmacists. He suggested that this issue needs to be addressed in the future.Chairman Naser Shahriar Zahedi emphasized in his speech that quality healthcare in modern systems is not possible without hospital pharmacists. In our country, tasks like drug storage, dispensing, and distribution are done without graduate pharmacists. The inclusion of graduate pharmacists in hospitals would allow for effective collaboration between doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, ultimately enhancing the quality of care.Professor Dr. Chowdhury Mahmud Hasan highlighted Section 4.3 of the National Drug Policy 2016, which emphasizes the rational and safe use of medicines.It is mentioned that  Sub-section (nga) under 4.3 specifies that necessary measures should be taken to implement hospital pharmacy activities under the direct supervision of graduate pharmacists in both inpatient and outpatient departments of all public and private hospitals. However, this has yet to be implemented. The role of pharmacists in ensuring proper drug storage, preventing misuse, and encouraging rational use is critical in public hospitals (district hospitals, medical college hospitals, specialized hospitals, and medical university hospitals). To bring qualitative changes to peripheral-level drug dispensing, it is necessary to appoint one graduate pharmacist per 50 inpatient beds and at least one in outpatient pharmacies, with structured promotions to enhance their professional development and experience.Mr. Azibur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Pharmacists Forum, stated that under the supervision of graduate pharmacists, 98% of the country’s medicines are produced and exported to around 150 countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, not a single graduate pharmacist stayed home. The quality of medicines produced and safe drug use in clinical hospital pharmacy practice are ensured under their guidance.The meeting concluded with a welcome speech by Council Secretary Mahbubul Haque under the chairmanship of Naser Shahriar Zahedi, President of the Council’s Hospital Pharmacy Committee.