Mater Dei Hospital will soon open its doors! As immediate measures to alleviate the chronic shortage of government pharmacists, I suggest the following:

Rule number 1. The public call for government pharmacists should be issued immediately after they finish their final examinations and the results are out. This measure, hopefully, should discourage pharmacists from applying for vacant posts in the private sector.

Rule number 2. Once they are employed on a temporary basis, pharmacists should not be left for a long time on casual employment. There were instances in the past when casual pharmacists were employed under one administration, then there was an election, followed by another one 22 months later, and they still waited another couple of months before they were permanently employed! This is not very encouraging.

Rule number 3. Always employ a dozen extra pharmacists. Don't worry... they won't be of too much a financial burden for long!

Rule number 4. Keep them happy and see what the UHM is asking. Some pharmacists do not even have a decent place where they can eat a piece of bread in peace! In my humble opinion, it would make more sense if the government were to invest more money on his loyal people that still serve the public sector with great dedication, rather than fork out money on the Pharmacist of Your Choice scheme.

Happy employees produce better work and this ultimately benefits the patient.

Long live government pharmacists!