UG Pharmacy Graduates should not suffer this fate

Oct 10, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor;
This letter was written out of a pure desperation and frustration. I am a University of Guyana Pharmacy graduate.
My colleagues and I graduated November, 2015. Almost one year later and we are yet to receive our practicing license. Numerous letters have been published with regard to this issue but to no avail.
The reason that was cited for us not receiving our licenses in January as per norm is that the Pharmacy Council of Guyana in collaboration with the Ministry of Health planned to initiate the Pharmacy Internship Programme as stipulated in the Pharmacy Practitioners Act 2003 Chapter 18.
This law dictates that all Pharmacy graduates must complete the internship programme prior to licensure.
After months of receiving no information what so ever, approximately three months ago we were assured that the internship would commence in August 2016 or September 2016 the latest.
In addition to this year long wait, the council is now calling for the duration of the internship to be one year. The law governing said internship clearly states six months as the least duration period for the internship programme.
Is it fair? Is it reasonable? Is anyone being considerate about the grief and inconvenience we have already endured? That, instead of utilizing the least prescribed duration for the internship, they would implement one year!
To add insult to injury the University of Guyana has requested we begin repaying our loans as of September last when currently our Degrees are not of much worth but to our pride. We are now in October, 2016; when will we get help? When will we be real pharmacists? Do we need to protest to be heard?
Is this how this country rewards young people that choose an honest way of living?
If the Council and/or Ministry is/are not yet capable of facilitating such a programme, why keep us hanging in the balance?
Desperate Graduate

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News