Previous Story
CHC emergency is extended anew
|
Posted on Oct 25 2008
Gov. Benigno Fitial has extended the state of emergency for the in-house pharmacy at the Commonwealth Health Center for another 30 days.
The pharmacy was first placed under a disaster emergency on Sept. 25, due to a lack of a full-time pharmacist.
The emergency declaration is intended to allow the CHC to recruit a pharmacist for a salary over the existing $50,000 cap. The declaration was extended because the Legislature has not passed a law exempting pharmacists from the salary cap.
CHC lost its head pharmacist, Anthony Raho, when his contract was not renewed earlier this year, leaving the in-patient pharmacy with only one pharmacist and forcing it to close on weekends. Raho was brought back on board after Fitial issued the first emergency declaration.
The state of emergency allows the Secretary of Public Health and Department of Public Health to “adequately staff the Pharmacy Department at CHC with licensed pharmacists by whatever means necessary to ensure that the pharmacy remains open,” according to the declaration.
The last full-time pharmacist employed at the hospital, Lorraine Liwiski, resigned effective Oct. 8. A part-time pharmacist is employed on the weekend.
Raho earlier said that the low salary cap for pharmacists and other heath care professionals hinders the CNMI’s health care system.
Raho, who has worked at the pharmacy for 12 years, said the salary cap is inhibiting the hospital from hiring pharmacists.
In the U.S., entry-level pharmacists start at a salary of $105,000 to $120,000, he said.
“It’s a no brainer, we just can’t compete,” he said, adding that the United States is also experiencing a lack of pharmacists but pharmacies are addressing the situation by raising salaries 5 to 6 percent.
