Pharmacist associations from eight north eastern states have objected to All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists' (AIOCD) statement that there is huge shortage of qualified and registered pharmacists in the north-eastern states.
In a memorandum to the Union minister of health, the Tripura branch of the Federation of Indian Pharmacists Organisation (FIPO) has apprised the government that there is no shortage of qualified and registered pharmacists in any of the north-eastern states. According to Anirban Kar, secretary of FIPO Tripura, the states witness huge number of unemployed registered pharmacists.
He wanted the government to withdraw its plan to delete the clauses in the Pharmacy Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Act that mandate only registered pharmacists are eligible for retail licences for drug sale, by amending the Acts.
FIPO alleges that AIOCD has misled the government by giving false reports about the situations in the north-eastern states and in some other states in north India. The trade body has given the proposal to the government demanding to launch a refresher course for the unqualified medical store floor boys to equip them eligible for getting licences for retail drug sales.
Strongly condemning the move, Anirban Kar wanted the government to withdraw from its decision for the course which will push the country into the 19th century level when there was no drug law existed. AIOCD has justified the reason for demanding the refresher course was shortage of qualified pharmacists in UP, MP, Bihar and in North-Eastern states.
According to FIPO, the purpose behind the refresher course is to get retail licences for the unqualified members of the AIOCD by producing certificates of the training course.
In the letter to the Union government, the secretary of Tripura FIPO branch has clearly mentioned that there are 4,665 registered pharmacists in the state. Out of this, only 370 are in government service. In Tripura alone, 150 students pass the courses of B.Pharm and D.Pharm every year and get registered as pharmacists. In August 2016, for 74 vacant posts of pharmacists in the government sector, 900 candidates appeared for the interview. This shows that the number of unemployed pharmacists is in large number in the state. As per recent estimate, more than 4,000 unemployed registered pharmacists are in Tripura.
In Assam, more than 11,000 registered pharmacists are there, and only 3,000 are employed including community pharmacies. More than 8,000 unemployed pharmacists are in Assam.
“Requirement of duly qualified and registered pharmacists in pharmacies is universally accepted law to ensure safe, rational, effective and economical drug therapy. At a time when the government is promoting modern medicine and modern system of treatment, the government has no moral right to amend the Pharmacy and Drug Acts in support of the trader community”, he wrote in his letter to the Union health minister.
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