No staff, pharmacists to double up as doctors

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 30

Facing a shortage of doctors, the Health Department has allowed pharmacists to prescribe medicines.

As per an order issued by the Director, Health, on Thursday, pharmacists will be able to prescribe medicines after consulting the doctor on duty over the phone. “The pharmacist will write down the details of the doctor and will also mention the reason of his absence from the hospital. He will then be able to write the instructions of the doctor, which he got on the phone,” the order said.

Besides, the pharmacists will dispense and suggest those medicines which are already prescribed by the doctors or medicines which are covered under non-scheduled drugs and meant for first-aid only. Earlier too the pharmacists were prescribing medicines on their own, but the department stopped the practice last year.

Though sources said the department had found a middle path, the doctors had termed the move dangerous.

Dr Gagandeep Singh, president, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association, said instead of playing with the lives of people by issuing such orders, the government should hire more doctors against vacant posts.

“The newly-recruited doctors are given a monthly salary of Rs15,600 for the first two years. Who wants to work at such low wages,” he asked.

Dr HS Bali, director, health services, said the situation was alarming at the centres where several posts of doctors were vacant. “We have issued these orders as we have to provide health services to the people,” said Dr Bali.