To promote the central scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Stores (PMJAS) nationwide and to train the pharmacy students in drug-store handling, dispensing, inventory management and patient counselling during their study, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has been urged to direct all pharmacy colleges in the country to start ‘Model Pharmacy’ in each institute with the support of Jan Aushadhi Scheme.
Former chairman of the hospital pharmacy division of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), Dr. Roop Narayan Gupta has conveyed this idea in this regard to Dr B Suresh, president of the PCI.
Dr. Gupta, who is also an academician in pharmacy education, has said in his letter that an in-house pharmacy in a teaching institute will provide exposure to the students on how to manage a community pharmacy and a hospital pharmacy. The qualified pharmacy teachers in the institutes can give practical training to the students in operating a pharmacy, or in general, to run a medical store. So, a student when comes out after completing his D Pharm or B Pharm course will become a full fledged pharmacist.
For setting up Jan Aushadhi Stores, the BPPI under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, provides sufficient financial support for establishing infrastructure facilities and for procuring drugs. The institutes will not get any financial burden in establishing a model pharmacy which will cater to the medical needs of the students, teachers and those who reside in the periphery of the college. Further, this will inspire the students entrepreneurial talents which will help them open their own pharmacy outlets after their study.
“The college drug store will generate revenue to the institution and helps for practical training for the students during their study. The government will soon start country wide Jan Aushadhi campaign for ensuring availability of quality generic medicines at affordable prices to the masses. For this, government will support the scheme financially with drug and sufficient profit margin. PCI should share this information with each college and motivate them to start PMJAS stores in the premises of all institutions”, opined Dr Gupta.
Hailing the PCI for the new syllabus introduced for B Pharm course, Dr Gupta said it is actually oriented towards making the pharmacist a full-fledged professional in community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy, and also for industry orientation for manufacturing and testing of drugs. The Model Pharmacy will also help the students know the pharmacy practice regulations (PPR 2015) notified by the PCI for pharmacists to do pharmacy practice, he wrote in the letter.