via Minister begs pharmacists to return 05/10/2014
HEALTH Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa on Saturday appealed to pharmacists to re-join the public service saying there was a dire need for pharmacists at government hospitals.
Parirenyatwa made the remark in his opening address at the 6th Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe annual conference in Victoria Falls.
He said the government only had 100 pharmacists at all its health centres.
He said some pharmacies at public facilities were run by nurses or any other health personnel thereby compromising service delivery as they are not the best to do so.
“There are only 100 pharmacists in our centres when we need at least 13 per each health facility. Please, as I look at this full house, I want to encourage more of you to come to us. We know many say conditions are not good which is why you go to the private sector but we need you as well,” Parirenyatwa said.
Nearly 300 pharmacists attended the conference which ended on Sunday.
The conference was run under the theme “Pharmacists – Ensuring access to health, exploring our impact on providing medicines care and information.”
Zimbabwe has slightly over 700 pharmacists the majority of them being in private health centres. Delegates were challenged to be innovative in coming up with new way of developing the profession.
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