Pharmacists complained about the increasing number of pharmacy faculties opening every day and the problem of employment.

President of Aydın Chamber of Pharmacists, Sefa Karaarslan, stated that the increasing number of pharmacy faculties in Turkey is causing serious problems in terms of both profession and employment, and said that there should no longer be a new pharmacy faculty opened.

Today, it is noted by Aydın Chamber of Pharmacists President Sefa Karaarslan that the number of Pharmacy Faculties has reached 62, and only 14 of them have the capacity to provide fully accredited education. Karaarslan emphasized, ‘With the existing faculties having a quota of 4,500 students, alarm bells are ringing both in terms of profession and employment. We, as representatives of a professional group that is the closest health advisor to our patients, standing by our people in all extraordinary conditions from pandemics to earthquakes, and prioritizing public health above all, gathered once again with the Turkish Pharmacists Association and all our Regional Chambers of Pharmacists in our country to voice one of the most important issues of our profession. We have said it multiple times, expressed our reaction, but could not make our voice heard, that’s why we addressed the authorities in front of the Higher Education Council. We do not want a new pharmacy faculty to be opened for the sake of ensuring the sustainability of our profession, continuing quality pharmacy services, and preventing the employment problems experienced by our young colleagues. Opening a new pharmacy faculty would lead to the growth of the army of unemployed pharmacists.’

Referring to the Health Workforce Report published by the Ministry of Health in 2016, which stated that there would be a 30% surplus in pharmacist employment by 2023, President of Aydın Chamber of Pharmacists Sefa Karaarslan pointed out that the number of pharmacy faculties, which was 29 in 2016, has now reached 62. Karaarslan stated, ‘The situation has reached much more serious dimensions. We expressed our outrage at the opening of each new pharmacy faculty, but no one listened. The goal of our professional workforce for a ‘healthier society’ undoubtedly requires that pharmacy education be built on the right foundations. We would like to underline that education in strategically important areas such as health should be planned free from commercial concerns. In order to train qualified healthcare professionals for this purpose, there is a need to strengthen academic staff and necessary infrastructure in existing faculties, not to open new faculties.’ He demanded that the entrance ranking for pharmacy faculties be set at 50,000, that the quotas of existing faculties be reduced, and that students not be admitted to unaccredited faculties.