Materia Medica Malaysiana

Finalising legislation on new pharmacists

Legislation requiring pharmacists to serve in public hospitals for three years is close to being finalised.

The move, affecting newly registered pharmacists, would be implemented before the end of the year, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.

"The Attorney-General is finalising the legal aspects. (The amendments) will definitely be ready by the end of this year," he said today.

Almost half of Government posts for pharmacists have not been filled as of March, a shortfall of 624 out of the 1,267 needed. Only 18 per cent of the country's 3,567 qualified pharmacists work in the public sector.The Ministry will need more than double the number of pharmacists it has now by 2020, and expects to create another 3,000 posts by then, he said. Some 870 pharmacists are expected to qualify annually by 2010.

With one pharmacist for every 7,100 Malaysians, the country is well below the World Health Organisation's benchmark of one for every 2,000 in developed countries.

The Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia said it hoped the Government would allow foreign pharmacists to work in the private sector on contract, to ease the anticipated shortage.

The ministry should also allow each pharmacist to work at more than one pharmacy outlet, said association president Dr Choe Tong Seng.

The Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society said it would monitor the impact on the private sector.

Dr Chua said the move is expected to create a slight shortage in the private sector, but the industry is expected to stabilise in the next three to four years.

Pharmacy would become the third healthcare profession, after medicine and dentistry, to have compulsory service.

Pharmacists have good prospects, with fresh graduates earning between RM2,500 and RM3,000 in the private sector compared to RM1,800 before.

Dr Chua spoke after he witnessed the Health Ministry sign an agreement for pharmacy students from University College Sedaya International to spend two semesters attached to Kuala Lumpur Hospital.