JAGATSINGHPUR: Protesting the inordinate delay in pay fixation and promotion, pharmacists posted in government hospitals across the district have threatened to launch an agitation.Treasurer of Odisha Pharmacists Service Association (OPSA) Pravat Kumar Sahoo said the government must fix the salary of pharmacists in pay band of Rs 9,300-Rs 34,800 with grade pay of Rs 4,200.
Besides, the entry-level qualification for pharmacists must be raised from diploma to degree so that they get promotions during their career. Around 3,000 pharmacists posted in government hospitals across the state have not got promotion. The pharmacists get paid even less than nurses, Sahoo said.
Besides, their pay is not fixed and varies as per their posting. While a senior pharmacist posted at Odisha State Medical Corporation gets a grade pay of Rs 4,200 per month, the same is not applicable for those posted under the Health and Family Welfare department.
The services of around 500 contractual pharmacists working under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram since 2011 and mobile health units under National Health Mission since 2009 have not yet been regularised by the government.
The OPSA said the pharmacists work in close proximity with persons infected with Covid-19 and are as vulnerable as doctors and other para-medical workers.
While the State government has declared dynamic assured career progression for doctors and promotion of nurses after 10 years of services, nothing has been done for pharmacists.
Chief district medical officer Bijaya Panda said the government has framed guidelines for promotion of pharmacists but the same are yet to be implemented in the district.