ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT STATUS OF RETAIL PHARMACIES IN A RURAL AURANGABAD OF MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Abstract

The community Pharmacists are most accessible health care professionals to the public. The present study deals with Current status of retail
pharmacies in Deolai-Satara region of Aurangabad City in Maharashtra, regarding their perception about professional responsibility as well as their
social status and role of community pharmacists. The questionnaire was developed which consist of various parameters which are directly and
indirectly related to pharmacy profession and community pharmacist services like educational qualification, experience, source and dispatching
system of medicines, clinical services, etc. During this survey total 59 pharmacies directly approached. In this survey, we have collected data from 59
retail pharmacists, apart from these, the chief retail pharmacists were 77.9% males and remaining females. As considering educational qualification
about 22% were B. Pharm, 77.9% D. Pharm. and majority of staff (59.1%) was other than science graduate. All have Refrigerators, 18.64% has Air
Conditioner but not a single pharmacy have own Library. The source of medicines in all pharmacies was wholesaler. Not a singl e retail pharmacist
should participate in research projects and also not provide clinical pharmacy services, but they are willing to participate in future. In 42.8 % the
maintenance of inventory and dispensing records were computerized, while in remaining 37.2 % it was manual by using central stock book and 20%
have both. 85.1% pharmacists should not have power to change prescription. It is revealed that most of the pharmacists fulfill their current
professional status, but they also advice about improvement in their profession.