ZAGREB, 25 Sept (Hina) – There is a shortage of around 500 pharmacists in CroatiaВ because young pharmacists are hesitant to commit to a demanding job that plays a crucial role in patient care, representatives of professional associations saidВ on Wednesday, observing World Pharmacists Day.

Inflexible working hours, administrative burden, and pressure from patients are the main reasons why graduate pharmacists are not motivated to work in pharmacies, Ana Soldo from the Croatian Chamber of Pharmacists told a press conference.

World Pharmacists Day is marked every year on 25 September to recognise the role of pharmacists in improving global health. This year, it is being marked under the slogan “Pharmacists: Meeting global health needs”. The event was organised by the Croatian Pharmaceutical Society in collaboration with the Chamber of Pharmacists.

“There is certainly a shortage of 300 to 500 pharmacists in the system today, and it’s difficult to find a pharmacist willing to work in a pharmacy under the current conditions. We are the first to face patients’ anger with the system, and the issues also include weekend work and being on duty, as well as the small number of employees per shift,” said Soldo.

She explained that in Croatia, fewer than two people work per shift, whereas in developed countries, there are five or six.

Dissatisfaction is also fueled by the fact that salaries in pharmacies are currently much lower than those determined by the regulation for employees in public and state services, she added.

A a wide range of chronic diseases in which pharmacists can contribute to treatment was highlighted at the press conference.

Pain, for example, is the most common reason for self-medication, and citizens often misuse analgesics, a fact that pharmacists can bring to their attention.

In Croatia, anxiety and depression have increased by 25%, making nervous system drugs the third most commonly used group of medications, which are also frequently misused.

It was also revealed that 50.9% of Croatians suffer from arterial hypertension, with many of them not taking their medication. Additionally, 90% of patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease don’t know how to use inhalers correctly, an issue pharmacists can help with.