Closing the Gender Gap in Pharmacy Ownership -Right Time for Female Pharmacy Ownership.

 

Introduction:

Before understanding the role of women in the pharmaceutical business it is very imperative to understand what the gender gap is? Today every girl is empowered and emancipated to take their own decisions and choose a career option. They are enough rationale to decide their virtue. But the scenario was quite different in the past. Women had to fight hard to reach the place where they are today, whether it is socially, politically, or economically. Women who fought for their rights were termed as feminists, a word the use of which was not considered good. However, only because of the feminists, every woman can hold their ground firmly in every sector today.

There are many waves of feminism that reveals the history of women’s fight for their existence and rights. The first wave of feminism (late 19th and early 20th century) when women fought for their basic education, employment, and property rights. This is followed by the second wave of feminism when women perceived that they are always undermined of their capability. The patriarchal society used to relate female with the body and the male with the mind, which considered the male more intelligent and rational.

Mary Wollstonecraft had mentioned in her pamphlet “A Vindication of the rights of women” that women lack virtue because of patriarchal domination. She also defines that a single educated woman could bring a big change to the society.

Women in Health industry:

Women are always considered to be the nurturer and care giving gender. They are considered to be the soft section of the society who cannot deal with the tough situation. But slowly and steadily women are breaking this myth. Today they are equally participating in the social, economic, and political sectors. NGOs, hospitals, banks, schools everywhere women have proved their credibility. Things just not end here. Now women are also shining in the military, the domain which was priorly only known by the men. The health industry is full of capable women doctors who effortlessly serve humanity in every situation. There is a long list of women doctors who have broken the glass ceiling and joined the health industry as their career option. Anandi Gopal Joshi is one such instance, who is known as the first Indian lady doctor. Dr. Sneha K Shah and Dr. Nandini Passi, India-based doctors are effortlessly representing themselves as corona warriors who are 24x7 providing services to patients affected by the virus, facing all the impediments. They are the role models for many young girls who want to join the health industry. But as it is said ‘Rome was not built in a day’, so as it is not easy for girls to enter the health industry. They have to face a deterrent in every single step.

Challenges for women:

It is hard to believe that women always remained oppressed because of their gender. Society has divided the gender role according to which women should stay behind the veil. Most of the Indian families prefer their daughter to get married in their early stage of life so that they could protect the honor of the family. But with time and after a lot of revolution now women are coming out of their houses and proving that they are equally capable as men. They are pursuing the education of their choice. Every year girl students hold rank in board exams. They crack the entrance exams and join the different education fields. Hospitals are full of women doctors and nurses. So here the question arises that if a woman can serve her nation as a capable hardworking nurse then why cannot, they own a pharmacy? 

 Women and the Pharmaceutical industry:

Every time we go to the pharmacy, we only notice a man standing there and providing drugs to the customers. We hardly encounter any woman pharmacists in the shop. Pharmacy is considered to be the male domain. Even if women are considered to be the nurturing and care giving gender, they are still not accepted in the pharmacies. However, the scenario is changing now. Many girls are taking pharmacy courses as their career option. And proving to the society that they could easily deal with the drugs for the benefit of humankind. Customers also nowadays prefer a lady pharmacist who can easily brief them on how to consume drugs. Many people notice that women pharmacists handle their customers with a calm mind and reply to their every single query. 

Pharmacies today not only deal with the drugs but infect provide all the basic products of hygiene which are in high demand. For instance, the sanitary pad. And a woman pharmacist is the first preference by the woman customer for the deal. This is very nicely explained in a Bollywood movie called “Padman”. The male protagonist tries hard to sell the sanitary pad which he has prepared, but women feel reluctant to listen to him or buy the product from him, but once the female protagonist takes the responsibility, she easily sells all the product and his business flourishes and reaches every small city of India. Hence, this proves that it is high time that the gender gap in pharmacy ownership should be filled up and females should take pharmacy ownership. 

 In conclusion: Government is are coming up with many new laws in the favor of women, to make them more empowered and self-independent. Women now can easily apply for the loan if they want to own a pharmacy. Those who are pursuing the school of pharmacy now can think of breaking the glass ceiling and could start their career as an entrepreneur. Many online pharmacies in India are hiring women as their employee and also as an intern. They are creating a job for the girls who want to grab the opportunity. 3MEDs is one such instance. This is an online pharmacy in Delhi where women from all over the country could apply for the internship project, also could apply for the different vacancies.