Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE number of pharmacists who joined the Pharmacy Council (PC) has increased by 11.5 per cent, the regulator has revealed.
The number of pharmacists rose from 1,892 in 2018/19 to 2,111 pharmacists in 2019/20, according to PC Registrar Elizabeth Shekalaghe.
In a media communiqué issued by the Ministry of Health Community Development Gender, Elderly and Children’s Government Communication Unit, the number of registered certified pharmacists also reached 3,040 during the year under review.
The registrar called on training institutions to increase intakes to ensure sufficient pharmacists across public and private health facilities. The council was concerned that some training institutions were slowing intakes and had been targeting to maximise profits, saying the country was in dire need of pharmacists to help prescribe medicine to patients.
Technically, Tanzania has 52 registered training institutions under the National Council for Technical Education (Nacte). But with such a large number of the institution, the PC says the number of graduates is insufficient.
In 2018/19, 174 pharmacists graduated and received PC’s registration. In 2019/20, the number slightly rose to 219 pharmacists.
“We need technical professionals and the council is working to ensure training institutions groom skilled professionals,” she said.
“Certified pharmacists registered this year are 694.” Pharmacists are still needed to oversee the supply of medicine to health centres.
The council said it had also been monitoring private pharmacies although in most parts of city, municipal and town councils were entitled to supervise pharmacies in accordance with by-laws. She said the council had been conducting regular training to ensure professionalism was sustained.
The council announced, however, that it would be offering training to inspectors and pharmacists next year to sharpen their skills so that they could match the changing world.
The PC urged members of the public to refrain from purchasing drugs arbitrarily, as doing so posed health risks.
