Pharmacist specialisation oversaturated, says its association president

AMMAN — The unemployment rate among pharmacists reached more than 30 per cent, according to President of the Jordan Pharmacist Association Zaid Kilani.

 “The Jordanian drug market is considered one of the most important tributaries of the economy and pharmacists play a humanitarian, national and economic role that serves the national economy,” Kilani told The Jordan Times.

However, the unemployment rate among pharmacists stands at more than 30 per cent. The total number of pharmacists affiliated with the association stands at 23,699, he said.

The number of prospective pharmacists in universities for the academic year 2018/2019 was 15,704 students, a number that Kilani said “only exacerbates the unemployment situation in the Kingdom”.

Kilani called on the concerned authorities, especially the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to “adjust the education policies regarding university seat availability to match market needs”.

He also stressed that students should “think carefully about studying this major while keeping in mind the sector’s lack of job opportunities”.

According to a study by the association, the number of unemployed female pharmacists stands at 3,296, with an unemployment rate of 20 per cent, while the number of unemployed male pharmacists is 1,699, with an unemployment rate of 10 per cent.

According to Kilani, the production of medicines ranged about 6,800 medical products during the past six years and they have been subject to “continuous reviews”.

“Jordan witnessed several dramatic declines in the prices of drugs as a result of strict property rights of parent companies, and the presence of local and global alternatives at lower rates,” he added.

The pricing of medical products is the responsibility of the Jordan Food and Drug Association that has “made great efforts in regulating and protecting the medical sector”, said the association’s president.

According to association numbers, the Kingdom is home to 3,500 pharmacies and 567 drug stores that are under the association’s umbrella. 

The Kingdom currently has more than 22,000 pharmacists and 13,000 pharmacy students, with the former number expected to increase to 30,000 in the next five years.

“The association is trying very hard to provide job opportunities for pharmacists in the sector by looking to new markets, but there are many regional and local challenges,” said Kilani.

In light of the stagnation in the sector, he called on “the concerned authorities to review education policies and students to search for in-demand specialisations in the labour market”.