The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), Odisha unit along with other allied bodies on Wednesday demanded that the State Government stop mushrooming of private pharmacy institutions as a large number of unemployed pharmacists are already available in the State.
Addressing a Press meet, IPA State president Dr Sruti Ranjan Mishra said that the Government is planning to issue ‘no-objection certificate’ (NOC) for opening of 117 new private pharmacy institutions while the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has decided not to approve any new pharmacy institution, excepting in north-eastern States. The PCI has issued a five-year moratorium from 2020 academic session in this regard.
“While a large number of pharmacists are yet to be employed, why the Government is trying to create more pharmacists,” wanted to know Dr Mishra.
He also wanted to know why the Government is not taking steps for establishment of pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs, NIPER and Government pharmacy institutions and creation of a Directorate of Pharmacy. The Government is also not implementing the Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 and forming appropriate cadre for pharmacists. Graduate Pharmacist posts in Government hospitals and medical colleges need to be created, he said.
Dr Mishra too demanded that the Odisha State Board of Pharmacy (OSBP) and the Odisha State Pharmacy Council be streamlined to develop the pharmacy sector.
Though the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Odisha, through Central Counseling, admits D. Pharm students into institutions approved by the PCI, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) issues advertisement for students having passed from AICTE approved institutions for recruitment in the Government hospitals. This needs to be resolved soon, said the members.
Odisha Pharmacy Intellectual Forum (OPIF) secretary Dr Rajat Kumar Kar alleged that the two-year and three months’ Diploma course in pharmacy takes minimum three-four years for completion because of old process being followed by the Odisha State Board of Pharmacy (OSBP). In the age of e-Governance, the OSBP even does not have an email ID and website of its own, he further alleged.
While 6,000 pharmacists are being created in the State every year, the Government has failed to create job
opportunities for them for which they are forced to work as Health Workers, Ambulatory supporting staff etc with very low salary to migrate to other States, rued the members.
During nineties, Odisha had more than 90 pharmaceutical industries operating in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Brahmapur and Sambalpur and used to cater 90 per cent needs of the State’s medicine requirement. But it now depends on other States to meet 90 per cent of its medicine requirement.
Among others, APTI Odisha president Dr Mihir Kumar Kar and IPGA Odisha president Dr Arun Kumar Panda were present.