# \[e-drug\] Brain drain of pharmacists (cont'd) **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [November 5, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-brain-drain-of-pharmacists-contd/18103 "2003-11-05T08:28:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EPN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@EPN](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/EPN)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-brain-drain-of-pharmacists-contd/18103/1 "2003-11-05T08:28:27Z")
E-drug: Brain drain of pharmacists (cont'd) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear E-Druggers, Thanks Libby for starting the "answer to the problem" session. I think some interesting proposals have come up. 1. Yes to VSO etc. But they are short term solution and unless it is for a significant time (to allow for understanding of country situation and culture) they may not be that useful. Depending also on their training, they may not always have the skills required in the developing countries. For example, we struggle with issues around managing drug supply. Those trained on the drug therapy outcome ie one-to- one interaction would have excellent performance in the wards but then the drugs may not be in the pharmacy! 2. Bonding for 2-3 years. The upside that this will ensure at least some service from graduates. The down side is that the public sector will be essentially a training ground as it will be getting the least experienced people and when they are experienced, they leave. A national and international understanding where there would be a requirement to show release from the government may help to enforce this without limiting people's freedom to look for greener pastures. Can this be an undertaking of the professional bodies and association eg CPA and FIP? 3. Pay pharmacist well. Where this is possible, it is one way. However I do not think that there is a deliberate practice to pay pharmacists poorly. It is simply that the countries cannot afford the wage bill. Even allowances, cars, housing etc have a $ sign. I think we should increase the income of pharmacist by widening the scope of their work which brings me to a fourth proposal: 4. Increase the pharmaceutical cadre and have pharmacists supervise. We need to re-look at the roles of pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants. These are people who usually stay in the country but they can do much of the basic tasks PROVIDED there is supervision. What would happen if instead of having no pharmacist at all in a hospital (as is often the case) we have at least some pharmaceutically-trained person on site and a supervising pharmacist who gets paid for his/her services by several hospitals? Even the "duka la dawa" , "patent drug shops", "medical stores" etc would be required to have a supervising pharmacist and pay for the service! (Even paracetamol is a drug!!) The profession could then set standards and protocols for the practice and the supervision instead of protecting professional "turfs" as it sometimes happens. It would also mean a change in the training given to pharmacists to match with the tasks required of them. All these may need some working but at least they are a beginning. Have I provoked someone? Reactions? Sincerely, Eva Ombaka Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network P.O. Box 73860 Nairobi, Kenya Tel:254-2-4444832/4445020 Fax:254-2-4440306/4445095 Email: epn@wananchi.com -- To send a message to E-Drug, write to: e-drug@healthnet.org To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@healthnet.org in the body of the message type: subscribe e-drug OR unsubscribe e-drug To contact a person, send a message to: e-drug-help@healthnet.org Information and archives: [http://www.essentialdrugs.org/edrug](http://www.essentialdrugs.org/edrug)