Photo Andy Harjula.
Pictured are Zahid and Hassan Pervaiz who recently opened a new IDA and post office on Highway 7A in Bethany in the former Post Office building.
After months of planning, permissions and renovations, a new IDA drugstore opened in Bethany a few weeks ago.
It will be operated by members of the Pervaiz family, originally from Pakistan. Zahid is moving from a pharmacy in Scarborough to open his own pharmacy in Bethany. His wife is a nurse at a Scarborough hospital, his son is studying computer science at Seneca College and his daughter is studying at the University of Toronto.
Zahid brings 30 years of pharmacy experience gained in Canada, the Middle East and Pakistan to the business. One of the primary motivation behind the relocation to Canada from the Middle East was to provide educational opportunities for their children. Despite being born in Pakistan, the Pervaiz children were denied citizenship and entry to their country’s schools.
Like many professional immigrants to Canada, Zahid began work in his field of study at $8.00/hour because of his lack of “Canadian experience.” Zahid speaks four languages which may have been useful in Scarborough are less relevant in Bethany.
Based on his 15 years of experience in the Middle East, Zahid has concluded that Canadians are healthier than the people he served in oil-rich countries. He attributes this to the fact that many people in Canada shovel their own snow, cut their own lawn, do their own laundry, buy their own groceries, clean their own house and cook their own meals. In oil rich countries, wealthy citizens lead more sedentary lives and have staff who perform all these chores for them and leave them with nothing to do.
The new pharmacy will be open 50 hours a week; from 10 am to 7pm on weekdays, 11 am to 4pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday. Prescription and over the counter drugs are already available. Other items including beauty and first aid products and many of the other items you would expect to see in a drug store will become available as supplies arrive. Blister packs are available free of charge. These handy containers make it easier for people who have difficulty in opening “child proof” pill packages and provide a handy reminder of when pills should be consumed.
Ontario’s Telemedicine Network (OTN) is available at the pharmacy. This is a two-way computer video conference service to assist residents to access health care systems in Ontario.
Flu shots will not be available until the 2021 season because the pharmacy was not licensed in time to order the shots from the government labs.
On November 2nd, the Bethany Post Office will also be relocated from Gourley Automotive Services to the renovated facility. Hassan, pictured with his brother, will be the new Postmaster with the help of his sister.
Office space has been set aside for a medical practitioner should the demand warrant such a position in the future. For the moment, Zahid will provide the standard pharmaceutical advice and review prescription usage for his customers. Residents are cordially invited to drop in to say hello and meet the new pharmacist.
By Andy Harjula
