Demonstration at Maitighar with demands such as removing contract manpower and replacing it with competent manpower
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The 'Independent Pharmacy Youth Group' of students studying pharmacy staged a demonstration at Maitighar on Thursday with 12 points of demand, including the need to remove contract manpower from the local level and replace it with competent manpower. They have drawn the attention of the government saying that the remuneration of pharmacists is low.
Pharmacist student Jeevan Dahal said that some of them are working for 12/14 thousand. He said, 'At least the minimum wage should be as prescribed by the government.' They have informed the pharmacists' organization Nepal Pharmaceutical Association about their demands and concerns.
According to the Nepal Pharmacy Council, there are 7,430 registered pharmacists in Nepal and 14,507 assistant pharmacists. Registered Pharmacist Jeevan Shahi said that they have come to the protest because they have to be unemployed even after completing their education and they have to work for the minimum wage even if they are looking for a job. He says that now he has to do duty for 14 hours to get a salary of 8 to 12 thousand. "Just as the government has looked at other health sectors, we have come to the streets to ask the government to listen to our demand," he said.
They have also demanded to open the post of pharmacists at the local level. They say that the Hospital Pharmacy Service Directory 2078 is also not followed.
They have demanded that there should be a mandatory permanent position of one pharmacist at each local level, that there should be a permanent position of a pharmacy assistant at each ward health institution, that pharmacists working in government, private and community pharmacies should be kept equal to the seventh and fifth levels of government health .
- Abhishek Adhikari (Trainee)
