World Pharmacist Day with theme “Pharmacists: Caring for you” – celebrated in Civil Hospital, Ferozepur .
Punjab Pharmacists Union demands implementation of Pharmacy Act
World Pharmacist Day with theme “Pharmacists: Caring for you” – celebrated in Civil Hospital, Ferozepur
Ferozepur, September 25, 2016: World Pharmacists Day is celebrated throughout the world and today under the theme of the year – “Pharmacists: Caring for you” -was celebrated in the Civil Hospital by hoisting the flag followed by rally attended by the pharmacists from the district. The aim of the day is to bring attention of pharmacies and the positive benefits they offer when it comes to health and International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) encourages all its members to get involved to make the event a success.
Added here that World Pharmacists Day was the brainchild of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), with the council of this organization voting to establish the event in the late 2000s during a conference they staged in Istanbul, Turkey.
Ravinder Luthra, State General Secretary informed that each year the organization announces a different theme so that associations and individuals in the pharmaceutical industry can put together national campaigns or local projects to showcase the good work they do in helping to improve the health of people around the world.
Talking to this correspondent, Ravinder Luthra, State General Secretary said, “Against the 1186 dispensaries under Zila Parishad, around 900 pharmacists are in positions who are working since 2006 at a very meager consolidated wages of Rs.7500 per month.
Punjab Pharmacists Union demands the regularization of all pharmacists by bring them at par with such category staff working under Health Department, said Luthra.
He further said, “Prescription of medicine and preparation/giving the particular medicine to the patient, both are equally important. This is the reason that Drugs and Cosmetic Act in 1945 and Pharmacy Act in 1948 were enforced but the Indian governments under the influence of corporate houses are not implementing both these Acts.
Even in hospitals, the work relating to distribution and storage of medicine have been given to the non-technical staff ignoring the Pharmacists. It’s a challenge to the Pharmacists to get implemented the Pharmacy Act for the security of their profession in letter and spirit, he said.
Luthra said, the need of the hour is that whereas we are adopting the various policies of developed countries in the world, we should also follow their policies relating to pharmacy which is more important for the treatment of patients.
On the other hand, the number of pharmacists is very less as compared to the increase in population and number of patients and to cope with this challenge, the new recruitment of pharmacists in Health Department is also needed besides regularizing the existing pharmacists working under National Health Mission –NHM and Zila Parishads, he added.
