Pharmacies’ income below poverty level

ANKARA - Doğan News Agency

The president of the Turkish Employer Pharmacists Union, Nurten Saydan, says half of pharmacies earn less than the poverty threshold. DHA photo

Almost half of the pharmacies in Turkey earn less than the poverty threshold, a union representative said, warning the authorities to take the necessary measures as soon as possible to protect the sector.

“The monthly income of 12,000 pharmacies in Turkey is below 1,500 Turkish Liras, according to calculations we made. Around 10 percent of our pharmacists earn 1,000 liras in monthly income on average, which is below the poverty threshold for a single person,” the president of Turkish Employer Pharmacists Union, Nurten Saydan, said yesterday. There are 24,309 pharmacies in the country, according to the latest Turkish Statistical (TÜİK) data. Saydan’s written statement said the monthly turnover of around 12,000 of them is below 50,000 liras but when their expenditures are subtracted, the remaining amount, their profit, is below the subsidence level of a four-member family, which is determined at 3,610 liras.

She called government authorities to take actions.