KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has liberalised the training scope of provisionally registered pharmacists (PRP) with a view of increasing the pharmacist-people ratio of 1:2,000 by 2016, as well as increasing the number of registered pharmacists in the country.
Pharmaceutical services senior director Datuk Eisah Abdul Rahman said through the liberalisation process, pharmacy graduates can now go through their training outside of government hospitals and facilities.
"They can undergo their PRP training at private pharmacy facilities, such as private hospitals, industries, in research and development and community pharmacies," she said at the opening of Cosway's 100th pharmacy store in Bandar Sri Damansara, here, yesterday.
The compulsory training introduced in 2004 was also shortened from a three-year period to only one year and was made effective in September 2011.
The move, she said, was to encourage local pharmacists to get involved in the private pharmaceutical sector.
"We welcome applications from community pharmacies to be listed as training facilities for graduates.
"Those interested will have to get recognition through the accreditation of community pharmacy programme under the Malaysian Pharmacy Board."
Eisah said the premises must also fulfil the rules and regulations set in the 2011 Community Pharmacy Benchmarking Guidelines.
As of Jan 31, the current pharmacist-people ratio stood at 1:2,947, with a total number of 10,250 pharmacists registered in the country.
The opening of the 100th Cosway pharmacy store was attended by Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Cosway Corporation chief executive officer Al Chuah.
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