AISGPA asks Central govt to bring in new rule to make B Pharm as basic qualification for pharmacists & create uniform cadre structure

Although the Delhi government has made it mandatory that degree should be the minimum qualification for pharmacist post, all other state governments in the country need to replicate the policy so as to force the central government to bring in a rule in the same direction at the national level, according to the national organizing secretary of All India State Government Pharmacists Association (AISGPA).

In a telephonic interview with Pharmabiz, M Vijayalakshmi, a working pharmacist under Karnataka government and the organizing secretary of AISGPA said the professional services of government pharmacists in India need to be streamlined for which there should be some amendments in the policies and recruitment rules (RR). The RR should have a federal structure applicable to all states and union territories uniformly. Similarly, the pattern of promotional cadres for pharmacists should also be same in every state. The national organisation was formed to coordinate all state associations to take up the common demands in respective states. The national association has a membership of 20 state associations.

Welcoming the decision of the Delhi government in upgrading the basic qualification, Vijayalakshmi said AISGPA will raise one demand in this regard requesting all state governments to see the step taken by Delhi government as a reform in the pharmaceutical services. The health departments of all state governments should have similar common cadre structure in the case of pharmacists because their profession is regulated by Pharmacy Act and Pharmacy Practice Regulations which are federal in nature. The all India organisation of pharmacists has represented the union government and the Pharmacy Council of India for consideration of these demands for uplifting the professional status and standards.

Vijayalakshmi further said although she is a diploma holder in service, she has joined the bridge course to graduate in pharmacy.

Adding more points, the general secretary of AISGPA, Janagam Suresh from Telengana state said the national association of pharmacists want the government to bring in a rule by amending the existing law for making the pharmacist—patient ratio 1:50 or 3:100. Presently, the ratio is 1:100. According to him, the pharmacists in the government hospital pharmacies are encountering bitter times due to heavy workload.

“We need three additional pharmacists in all PHCs, CHCs, UPHCs and in hospitals as per OPD & IPD. The storage facilities need to be upgraded and infrastructure of the pharmacies should be developed on international standards. Work of the pharmacists must be handled by pharmacists only, for this government should increase the cadre strength and structure. Today several jobs of pharmacists are captured by unqualified and raw personnel in the department which is against the D&C Act 1940, pharmacy act 1948 and PPR 2015. Pharmacists are the legally authorized person to deal with pharmacy related jobs”, he said.

As drug is the basic item for treatment, storage space cannot be neglected. But in all the PHCs and hospitals in India it is seen that the pharmacies face shortage of store area. Suresh said AISGPA’s another demand is that the central and state governments should appoint pharmacists in all sub-centres.

Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=115461&sid=1