Overcoming Shortage of Pharmacists to Provide Pharmaceutical Services in Public Health Centers in Indonesia

Yuyun Yuniar, Max Joseph Herman

Abstract


Indonesia is facing shortage of pharmacist in public health centers (PHCs), therefore the local government and PHCs have to cope with this problem. This paper aimed to describe the pharmaceutical manpower availability in PHCs, the problems occurred and potential applied solutions. Data was taken from National Health Facility Research 201. Quantitative data related to pharmaceutical manpower in PHCs was analyzed descriptively based on regions. Supporting qualitative data through in-depth interviews with the health office staffs in Bogor and Bekasi and pharmacists in four PHCs were conducted and being analyzed using thematic analysis. It was found that Sulawesi had the highest percentage of PHCs having pharmacist (29.1%) while Eastern Indonesia 51.5% of PHCs didn’t have any staff with pharmacy related educational background. The highest percentages of staff composition were pharmacy technician followed by nurse. The main problem was due to high workload with limited manpower available. The proposed solutions are recruitment of new pharmacists, but in case it is not possible then placing pharmacist in certain type of PHCs with urgent needs is a priority. Empowering pharmacy technician, all available trained staff and other resources such as on job students are other feasible choices.Indonesia masih menghadapi keterbatasan jumlah apoteker di puskesmas, sehingga pihak pemerintah daerah dan puskesmas harus berupaya mengatasi permasalahan tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan ketersediaan dan distribusi tenaga pelayanan kefarmasian di puskesmas serta permasalahan dan alternatif pemecahannya. Data diambil dari hasil Riset Fasilitas Kesehatan (Rifaskes) tahun 2011I. Data kuantitatif tentang tenaga pelayanan kefarmasian di puskesmas dianalisis secara deskriptif berdasarkan regional. Data kualitatif sebagai pendukung diperoleh melalui wawancara mendalam dengan bagian kepegawaian dinas kesehatan dan apoteker empat puskesmas di Kota Bogor dan Bekasi, 3 kemudian dianalisis dengan metode analisis tema. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa Sulawesi memiliki persentase puskesmas dengan tenaga apoteker tertinggi (29,1%) sedangkan Indonesia Timur memiliki persentase puskesmas tertinggi dengan tenaga pelayanan kefarmasian tanpa latar belakang pendidikan farmasi (51,5%). Persentase tenaga kefarmasian terbesar di puskesmas adalah tenaga teknis kefarmasian kemudian perawat. Permasalahan utama yang dihadapi puskesmas adalah beban kerja yang berat dengan kondisi tenaga yang terbatas. Alternatif pemecahan masalah yaitu pengangkatan apoteker baru, namun jika tidak memungkinkan maka penempatan apoteker pada puskesmas dengan kebutuhan mendesak merupakan prioritas utama. Pilihan lain yang memungkinkan adalah pemberdayaan tenaga teknis kefarmasian dan staf lain yang sudah dilatih atau memanfaatkan tenaga siswa magang.

Keywords


pharmacist; pharmaceutical service; public health center; apoteker; pelayanan farmasi; puskesmas

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21109/kesmas.v8i1.334

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