KARACHI:Dow University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Saeed Quraishy stressed the need for bringing the pharmacy sector, especially hospitals pharmacy, at par with the developed countries.
This way, he said, humanity could be served better and the effectiveness of pharmacy education could be increased. He was speaking at a seminar organized at the inauguration of the pharmacy exhibition in connection with the World Pharmacy Day at Dow College, said a statement issued by DUHS on Tuesday.
Leaders of PPA Qaiser Waheed and Adnan Hirani, Medical Superintendent of Dow Hospital Dr Zahid Azam, Head of Hospitals Pharmacy Department Dr Asma Hamid, College Principal Dr Sumbal Shamim also spoke on the occasion.
The vice chancellor said that in the developed countries, the pharmacy department of hospitals paid a lot of attention to the adverse drug reactions – ADR and AMR (antimicrobial resistance), i.e. resistance to the drugs by germs and viruses, and reported it, which helped the pharmaceutical companies in their work and the government agencies in the strict monitoring of the pharmaceutical industry.
“But in Pakistan, unfortunately, the pharmacy ignored those issues by which we could better serve our people,” he added.
The pharmacy had not been properly understood in Pakistan since the beginning. In the modern medical system, a doctor’s work was examination and diagnosis, while giving medicine was the responsibility of pharmacists.
He said that the future of pharmacy students in Pakistan was bright because the doors of employment were open for them.
Now, there was room for more young people in this field and there were also opportunities for development. There were still areas in which work needed to be done, such as in the field of geriatric medicine.
Dr Zahid Azam said that the guidance of the pharmacy department was very important for the correct use of antibiotic drugs. ”
We are trying to avoid the side effects of antibiotic drugs with the help of the pharmacy department,” Dr Zahid said.
Dr Asma Hamid said that the pharmacy department was emerging in difficult situations after corona and dengue. The importance of the hospital pharmacy department was being highlighted through the treatment of the flood victims.
Earlier, the vice chancellor formally inaugurated the pharmacy exhibition, visited each stall and asked the students about their projects.