The Indian Pharmacist Revolution Yatra has reached Andhra Pradesh and has raised various issues pertaining to pharmacy profession and demanded amendments in various aspects of Pharmacy Act in the country. The main aim of the yatra is to create awareness about the role of pharmacists among the people across the country. The yatra reached Hyderabad on October 20, 2013.
According to Convenor of the yatra, Amitav Joyprakash Choudhury, the main objective of this country wide yatra is to create awareness among the people of this country about the role of pharmacist in healthcare sector. Today the pharmacists have a major role to play in the community pharmacy, manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and research.
The Udyog Development Foundation which began the yatra on January 04, 2013 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi has planned to tour entire country from Kashmir to Kanyakurmari. As part of this yatra, the Foundation is raising various issues concerning the pharmacy professionals and seeking amendments to Food Safety & Standards Act 2011, Drug and Cosmetics Rules - 1945 (rule 64, 65, 71 and 76, Pharmacy Act-1948, NIPER Act (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) and demanded formation of a separate Ministry of Pharmaceuticals, and formation Indian Pharmaceutical Services in the country.
The Indian Pharmacist Revolution has also demanded employment generation for pharmacists in NRHM/Primary Health Centre (PHC), Community Health Centre (CHC), Head Quarters Hospitals and teaching Hospitals. It has also demanded formation of Central Register of pharmacist done by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).
Till date the foundation has already completed its tour visiting almost all the Northern and Northeaster states. Starting from Jammu & Kashmir in the North, the members of Udyog development foundation have travelled to Punjab, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Uttarapradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Odisha, WestBengal, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunchal Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and now it has begun its tour in the south beginning with Andhra Pradesh.
With this country wide yatra, the foundation is aiming to spread the message of professional ethics and responsibility of the pharmacists towards the society and strengthen the unity among the Pharma professionals. “Today, there are lakhs of pharma professionals spread across the country holding professional degrees such as D. Pharm, B. Pharm, M. Pharm, M.S. Pharm, Pharm D, Ph.D. and working in different organizations. Many more are freshly graduated every year, but still there is lack of proper awareness about the profession among the common people. Our aim is to highlight the national and state issues relevant to the pharmacy profession and create awareness among the common public,” says Amitav Joyproakash Choudhury.