COIMBATORE: Pharmacists working at government medical facilities have been urging the state government to fill vacant pharmacist posts in GHs, citing staff shortage and excess workload at every facility.
The demand was among the key resolutions passed at the association's general body meeting held in Coimbatore on Saturday. They also said pharmacist postings must be revised and vacancies must be filled as per the medical code, which mandates one pharmacist for every 150 outpatients and 100 inpatients.
They alleged that the health department has not revised pharmacist postings in the last 40 years despite a multi-fold increase in patient inflow, leaving them under heavy work pressure.
"At Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), a key healthcare facility in the western region, there are 14 pharmacies, including one that operates round-the-clock. However, the hospital is struggling to dispense medicines owing to a staff shortage.
Currently, there are 23 pharmacists and two chief pharmacists to serve more than 40 departments and over 4,500 outpatients daily. Each pharmacy has one pharmacist working from 7 am to 1 pm. The 24-hour pharmacy has three pharmacists on shift duty.
The remaining pharmacists are posted in medical stores that supply medicines to pharmacies and inpatient wards. As per the sanctioned strength, around 10 more vacancies will be filled in CMCH, but the hospital needs at least 53 pharmacists to manage OP, IP and stores as per the current patient inflow," a pharmacist said.
According to the Medical Council of India guidelines, one chief pharmacist post should be created for every 100 beds in a GH or medical college hospital, with additional staff based on bed strength. However, at CMCH, each pharmacist handles at least 450 patients a day, another senior pharmacist said.
State secretary of the association P Vallavan said around 1,000 posts need to be filled immediately to clear existing vacancies across the state, and the government should also increase the number of posts proportionate to the patient count.
"We have been demanding the government fill vacancies and increase postings in all government medical facilities, including GHs, government medical college hospitals, ESI hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs). In 2024, the previous government appointed 930 pharmacists, but no further action was taken.
Meanwhile, the government has moved the Supreme Court challenging a HC order confirming 600 pharmacists appointed under the school health programme during the pandemic. Apart from that, several vacancies remain," Vallavan said.
An official from the health department said a proposal requesting 10 additional pharmacists and three chief pharmacists for CMCH has already been sent to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research. Similar proposals have been sent from all districts, he added.