Rise in demand for pharmacists

By LULU MARK
THE demand for more local pharmacists is growing but the University of Papua New Guinea can take only about 25 students each year, an academic says.
UPNG School of Medicine and Health Sciences head of pharmacy Dr Jackson Lauwo said 310 pharmacists had graduated since the first four in 1998.
He said some of them were overseas, some changed careers and others had passed on.
He said the number of intakes increased gradually over the years but at this point an increase would require additional funding from the government with regards to the dormitory and teaching space, plus other operational resources.
“There is a great need for local pharmacists,” he said.
“The need is based on the growing population and growing economy.”
Being a member of the Pharmacy Board of PNG that registers pharmaceutical professionals and premises, Lauwo said according to his estimates, 10 to 15 new outlets were registered every year.
“These outlets could be wholesales or pharmacy shops,” he said.
“By law they all must employ pharmacists.”
Lauwo said pharmacies with outlets nationwide mostly employed expatriates but one of those pharmacists should be a Papua New Guinean national.
He said provincial health authorities (PHA) were expanding in which pharmacists were required to serve from level 5 hospitals and upwards, hence there would not be enough pharmacists in hospitals.
He said pharmacists were needed to properly manage the medical supplies procured by the Health Department.
He added frequent complaints about the shortage of medical supplies seen in the media were often true because there was absence of pharmacists to make requisitions and manage medicine properly.