Pharmacists Object to Injection Room Duties at Chandigarh's GMSH-16

Chandigarh: Pharmacists working under the Chandigarh Administration have objected to their current deployment in the injection room of the Emergency Department at Government Multi-Speciality Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16.

In a letter to Dr. Suman Singh, Director of Health Services (DHS), the pharmacists argue that their current assignments conflict with the Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015, as set by the Pharmacy Council of India.

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As per the recent media reports by Tribune India, the regulations define the responsibilities of registered pharmacists, emphasising their role in dispensing medications and offering counselling based on prescriptions from registered medical practitioners, but not in ‘administering injections’. They point out that such tasks typically fall under the domain of medical or nursing staff and that assigning these responsibilities to the pharmacists exposes them to significant medico-legal risks. “Engaging in such activities may expose pharmacists to legal liabilities, especially in medico-legal cases, as they are not protected under the Pharmacy Act for administering injections,” the letter stated.

The letter, signed by several senior pharmacists, urges the administration to reassign injection room responsibilities to appropriately trained medical personnel. To support their plea, the signatories cited hospital operational manuals and the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), which reinforce the defined boundaries of professional roles within public healthcare systems.

The pharmacists had requested that the current setup be revised by April 30 to ensure that professional roles within the hospital are realigned in accordance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

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In response, DHS Dr Suman Singh acknowledged the concerns raised by the pharmacists but emphasized the practical constraints of managing a busy public hospital. Speaking to Tribune India, she stated, “In technical terms, to run a hospital seamlessly, there are certain practices that cannot always be followed strictly by the book. Due to significant staff constraints and the overwhelming number of patients, we are compelled to deploy pharmacists in areas like the injection room.”

She further added that such measures are operational necessities and assured that the administration continues to prioritize both patient safety and professional responsibilities. She said that they would continue to explore balanced solutions that align regulatory standards with ground realities.

Notably, this deployment practice is being followed in GMSH-16 and not in PGIMER or GMCH-32.