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The fourth badge of Doctors of Pharmacy to undertake their housemanship is demanding payment for work done for a period of eight months.
The group which graduated from school in September 2021 and began its lawful service on January 24, 2022, have up to August 17 not received any allowance.
The Pharmacy Doctors have neither been given clearance nor an appointment letter to the effect of their work.
According to a member of the aggrieved group, Dr Apam Apigi Gregory, they had engaged the Pharmacy Council prior to their posting to avert any such challenges, but the discussion has yielded no positive result.
“The clearance processes were delayed for our predecessors and for that reason we engaged the relevant stakeholders, particularly the Pharmacy Council to forestall the occurrence of similar challenges.
“The Council assured us that we will not face the challenges because they will fastrack the process with the Ministry of Health and Finance. So we were given letters to various health facilities spread across the country to work with them which we did.”
They noted that their predecessors received appointment letters and clearance within two months of work but the current badge of workers have worked for eight months yet the authorities are not forthcoming.
Meanwhile, they are four months away from the end of the housemanship.
“When we go to the Pharmacy Council to find answers, they direct us to the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry redirects us to the Council, but we did not post ourselves to be dealing with the Ministry of Finance,” Dr Kofi Segbefia Adzomani also a member of the group bitterly expressed.
“The Pharmacy Council is the best if not in the subregion but the thing the council is doing, I am very disappointed in them because it is the best council–very vocal.”
They said that their role in health role has impacted health service delivery immensely since their inclusion hence it baffles their mind why the government and stakeholders would be indifferent towards them.
“Now the mortality rate in hospitals has decreased drastically because of us. Previously, as a Pharmacist, you were restricted to dispensing medicines only. It is no longer the case; we go around to monitor and engage patients in wards. We check the medicines for surety that no drug interferes with other medications and that they are the right prescription for your problem.
“Now some doctors don’t go on their ward rounds if we are not available,” Dr Apam Apigi Gregory added.
The Pharmacy Doctors have thus called on the government to as a matter of urgency meet their needs to ease the burden laid on their respective families and supporters who have for the period been footing their bills.
