MUSCAT, Jan 27 - All private pharmacies, drug stores and pharma companies in the Sultanate have been asked to report their vacancies for Omani pharmacists, assistant pharmacists and other positions for 2019, said the Directorate-General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control, Ministry of Health (MoH).
Private pharmacies include standalone as well as those that are part of hospitals. A circular has been issued in this regard.
As per the circular, speciality jobs at retail outlets/pharmacies, drug stores, medical representative jobs, jobs at industrial pharmacies, pharmacy administration, and regulatory pharmacy affairs should be reported to the directorate by this month-end.
“We request private pharmacies, drug stores and local manufacturers to inform us about their requirements for Omani professionals in different work areas or specialities,” said Dr Mohammed Hamdan al Rubaie, DG of Pharmaceutical Affairs and
Drug Control.
The directive comes in the wake of meetings with core committee members and workshops conducted at the Pharmacy College at the National University of Science and Technology. The ministry had earlier asked qualified Omani candidates who are willing to work in the healthcare sector to apply in person between December 30, 2018 and January 10, 2019. They would be appointed in jobs currently held
by expatriates.
Vacancies were also announced for the positions of nutritionist, speech therapist and X-ray technicians after a high-level Majlis Ash’shura committee members met some pharma graduates and assistants from private colleges.
In order to encourage more Omani nationals to take up healthcare, medical and paramedical jobs, the National Training Fund (NTF) will be paying RO 480 for pharmacists and RO 120 for assistant pharmacists in the first year, which will be considered on-job training. After the one-year period, they will be eligible to carry out their full job responsibilities.
According to a ministry report, Omanisation has increased in all medical and paramedical fields. The number of citizens holding lab technician jobs at the MoH is 60 per cent as per 2017 statistics.
Omanisation rate among doctors, dentists, pharmacists and nurses reached 55 per cent last year as against 54 per cent in 2016.
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