The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) has requested the Union Health Ministry to upgrade the salary structure of pharmacists under government service in the sixth pay commission's recommendation at par with the pay scales of other professional categories.

The appeal is to upgrade the pay scale from pay band five to pay band four, which will increase the salary of government pharmacists to nearly Rs 8000 more. Dr B Suresh, president of IPA and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has informed the Minister of Health that though higher pay scales have been recommended for teachers, nurses, constables and postmen on the ground that they have frequent interaction with the public, the pharmacist who dispenses and counsels the patients are totally ignored by the 6th Central Pay Commission.

According to Dr B Suresh, the association informed the minister that the pharmacists, who works round the clock without fixed working hours except for those in shifts and in large hospitals are to be considered with other professionals like dental hygienist, radiographer, MRI technicians, and junior engineers.

While the 6th Pay Commission has recommended Rs 8700-34800 for all these professionals, the pharmacists were recommended for a pay scale of Rs 4860-20200. All the categories earlier falling under the pay scale of Rs 4500-7000 have been upgraded to PB-II except pharmacists, he added.

"The pharmacists are facing increasing demands from the profession due to ever-growing and complex range of medicines prescribed. Increasing number of drugs are mind-boggling and there is no un-biased source of drug information available to physician and other health professionals. The pharmacists are the only professionals who can play a role in this situation and the government should reconsider the current anomaly of pay scales," said Dr Suresh.

He added that the health minister had assured to look into the matter and forwarded the request to the anomaly committee, formed to look into the complaints of employees unions, for further procedures.