[e-drug] Role and Competencies of District Pharmacists (3)

["Murtada Sesay" <msesay@unicef.org>]

E-DRUG: Role and Competencies of District Pharmacists
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Hazel,

Although you have broadly defined a District Pharmacist as one “based at
district level to oversee pharmaceutical services", you may need to look at
this more closely in your research. I have seen cases where a pharmacist is
only physically posted to a district location, but the national Ministry of
Health human resource establishment does not actually provide for this
structurally, or through an appropriate budgetary provision. Such a posting
seldom has consequence. Where the national establishment structure provides
for a district pharmacist, it will be helpful if you also look at what
career paths are created at the same time, for promotion to Regional and
National levels. This should be part of role definition. For example, I
have in the past read a job description, with respect to another cadre of
health staff, which stipulates that to become national head of that cadre,
an incumbent must have served at district level for a minimum number of
years. I think that if such prospects are not visible, there is a tendency
to see "district posting" as a banishment to the periphery forever!
Finally, if district posting is done in the context of a national
"devolution" or "decentralisation" strategy, then we should remember that
without an appropriate budget, power and authority, there may be little, if
any, difference between a pharmacist at district level and one sitting in
Medical Stores in the capital.

Best of luck in your work.

Murtada M. Sesay
Technical Specialist (Pharmaceuticals)
UNICEF Supply Division
Tel: +45 3527 3098
Mobile: +45 28 23 28 07
E-mail: msesay@unicef.org
Web: www.unicef.org/supply