Harare — AN acute shortage of pharmacists has severely affected public hospitals countrywide due to high staff turn over, with only one out of the 25 that graduated last year still employed at Government hospitals.

The scenario has impacted negatively on the smooth operation of hospitals and procurement of medicines.

"We have a situation where once they complete their studies, they leave. Only one out of the 25 pharmacists that graduated last year has remained," said Mrs Ropa Hove, the director of Pharmacy in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

She was speaking before a parliamentary committee on Health and Child Welfare on Tuesday.

Mrs Hove said the situation had been worsened by the opening of pre-qualification testing to include other private hospitals instead of public ones, as was the situation in the past.

Pharmacists carry out the pre-qualification tests at any designated health centre and many of them opt for private institutions where there is better remuneration than at Government institutions.

Mrs Hove said the shortage of pharmacists had also affected the procurement of drugs for hospitals as the process required their expertise.

She said the situation could, however, slightly improve since there are 42 pharmacists who will begin their pre-qualification testing at the beginning of 2010.

"The situation could be different as we have 42 others from this year that would be doing their pre-qualification testing. However, if their conditions of service are not improved, then after a year they could all be gone. We, therefore, hope Government will continue to look into that," she said.

The country's health institutions, especially Government owned ones, have been heavily affected by an exodus of skilled personnel especially since 2000 due to the harsh economic environment that was caused by the illegal sanctions imposed by the West.

Most health workers have emigrated to Britain, South Africa and Australia, among others, as they seek greener pastures.