Pharmacy Assistant

Over the past few years, Afghanistan has witnessed a relative improvement in security and stability across much of the country. This has allowed humanitarian actors like INTERSOS to maintain uninterrupted access and expand services in areas that were previously hard to reach. Despite this progress, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions of Afghans continuing to face acute vulnerabilities due to prolonged economic hardship, natural disasters, and limited access to essential services.

In 2025, more than half of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, with food insecurity, child malnutrition, and displacement remaining key concerns. Natural disasters, such as floods and recent earthquakes, have further compounded the needs of already struggling communities.

INTERSOS continues to operate through a community-based approach with field bases in Kabul, Kandahar, and Zabul, delivering primary healthcare, nutrition, and protection services with a focus on women, children, and persons with disabilities. The organization enjoys strong community acceptance and collaborates closely with relevant national authorities, including maintaining the full participation of female staff in all activities.

While the operational environment is largely stable and conducive, funding shortfalls and systemic barriers such as restrictions on financial flows and administrative bottlenecks continue to impact the scope and scale of humanitarian response. Sustained support is crucial to ensure the continuity of life-saving services and to address the urgent needs of Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations.

Under the direct supervision of the Medical Activity manager, the Pharmacy Assistant supports the day-to-day management of medicines and medical supplies at the base pharmacy. Responsibilities include receiving, storing, dispensing, recording, monitoring, and reporting on pharmaceutical commodities in accordance with applicable national regulations, MoPH guidelines, and the organization’s pharmacy and supply-management procedures. The postholder helps ensure the availability, appropriate storage, rational use, and accountability of medicines and medical supplies.

3. Key Responsibilities and Duties

A. Pharmacy and Stock Management

·       Receive medicines and medical supplies and verify quantities, specifications, expiry dates, and physical condition against delivery documents.

·       Ensure proper storage of medicines and medical supplies in line with recommended storage conditions and temperature requirements.

·       Maintain updated stock cards, bin cards, stock registers, and other relevant pharmacy records.

·       Apply First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) and, where appropriate, First In, First Out (FIFO) principles when organizing and issuing stock.

·       Regularly monitor stock levels and promptly inform the pharmacy officer or relevant supervisor about potential stock-outs, overstocking, and near-expiry medicines.

·       Conduct regular physical stock counts and reconcile discrepancies between physical stock and recorded balances.

·       Segregate and document expired, damaged, or unusable medicines and support their disposal in accordance with approved procedures.

·       Maintain the cleanliness, organization, and security of the pharmacy and medicine-storage areas.

B. Documentation and Reporting

·       Maintain accurate and up-to-date pharmacy consumption records and dispensing registers.

·       Prepare regular reports on medicine consumption, stock balances, and pharmaceutical needs.

·       Support the preparation of monthly medicine orders and replenishment requests based on consumption patterns and available stock.

·       Immediately report discrepancies, losses, suspected misuse, and other irregularities to the relevant supervisor.

·       Maintain proper documentation of medicine receipts, issues, transfers, returns, and adjustments.

·       Support internal and external pharmacy audits, inventory exercises, and monitoring visits.

·        

C. Quality Assurance and Compliance

·       Follow applicable MoPH pharmaceutical guidance, national essential medicines lists, and organizational pharmacy procedures.

·       Monitor and promptly report suspected adverse drug reactions, medication errors, or dispensing incidents to responsible medical personnel.

·       Ensure that medicines requiring special storage conditions, including cold-chain products where applicable, are stored and monitored appropriately.

·       Maintain confidentiality of patient information and pharmacy records.

·       Promote the rational use of medicines and prevent unauthorized access to pharmaceutical products.

·       Immediately report suspected counterfeit, substandard, damaged, or improperly labelled medicines.

Under the direct supervision of the Medical Activity manager, the Pharmacy Assistant supports the day-to-day management of medicines and medical supplies at the base pharmacy. Responsibilities include receiving, storing, dispensing, recording, monitoring, and reporting on pharmaceutical commodities in accordance with applicable national regulations, MoPH guidelines, and the organization’s pharmacy and supply-management procedures. The postholder helps ensure the availability, appropriate storage, rational use, and accountability of medicines and medical supplies.

3. Key Responsibilities and Duties

A. Pharmacy and Stock Management

·       Receive medicines and medical supplies and verify quantities, specifications, expiry dates, and physical condition against delivery documents.

·       Ensure proper storage of medicines and medical supplies in line with recommended storage conditions and temperature requirements.

·       Maintain updated stock cards, bin cards, stock registers, and other relevant pharmacy records.

·       Apply First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) and, where appropriate, First In, First Out (FIFO) principles when organizing and issuing stock.

·       Regularly monitor stock levels and promptly inform the pharmacy officer or relevant supervisor about potential stock-outs, overstocking, and near-expiry medicines.

·       Conduct regular physical stock counts and reconcile discrepancies between physical stock and recorded balances.

·       Segregate and document expired, damaged, or unusable medicines and support their disposal in accordance with approved procedures.

·       Maintain the cleanliness, organization, and security of the pharmacy and medicine-storage areas.

B. Documentation and Reporting

·       Maintain accurate and up-to-date pharmacy consumption records and dispensing registers.

·       Prepare regular reports on medicine consumption, stock balances, and pharmaceutical needs.

·       Support the preparation of monthly medicine orders and replenishment requests based on consumption patterns and available stock.

·       Immediately report discrepancies, losses, suspected misuse, and other irregularities to the relevant supervisor.

·       Maintain proper documentation of medicine receipts, issues, transfers, returns, and adjustments.

·       Support internal and external pharmacy audits, inventory exercises, and monitoring visits.

·        

C. Quality Assurance and Compliance

·       Follow applicable MoPH pharmaceutical guidance, national essential medicines lists, and organizational pharmacy procedures.

·       Monitor and promptly report suspected adverse drug reactions, medication errors, or dispensing incidents to responsible medical personnel.

·       Ensure that medicines requiring special storage conditions, including cold-chain products where applicable, are stored and monitored appropriately.

·       Maintain confidentiality of patient information and pharmacy records.

·       Promote the rational use of medicines and prevent unauthorized access to pharmaceutical products.

·       Immediately report suspected counterfeit, substandard, damaged, or improperly labelled medicines.