Former vice-president of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) Dr Roop Narayan Gupta urged the Union government to absorb the Pharm D graduates in the health department to support the doctors community in rural areas where there is a huge shortage of doctors.
In a letter to the government, Dr Gupta said that as per 2011 Indian Census, the present doctor-patient ratio is 1: 1700 in urban areas and 1:20000 in rural areas. This shows that the country’s workforce to deliver proper health facility is less than the actual requirement. So, to meet this shortage, Pharm D holders must be recruited to provide healthcare in the villages.
Dr. Gupta says that a major section of the population in India has no access to essential medicines due to their economic conditions. Besides, this section of people does not have the facility to take the full course of medication advised by doctors. The non-completion of the course may lead to drug resistance on second exposure. Here, the Pharm D graduates can play a major role in directing the patients for proper medication use.
Pharmacists are known to be drug experts in developed countries and their services extend to delivering rational treatment. They play vital role in delivering final prescription in association with other healthcare professionals. Whereas, in India, pharmacists’ role is limited to stocking and distribution of drugs in hospitals. Clinical pharmacists like Pharm D holders have a vital role in the creation of a healthy India. So, steps should be taken to utilize the services of the Pharm D graduates, he wrote in the letter.
Demanding changes in the appointment of personnel in health department, he wants the government to recruit Pharm D graduates for the post of malaria inspector, health inspector, health supervisors and other posts in the health departments. He wanted the government to take steps for creating the post of ‘Drug Information Specialist/Pharmacists' in all the hospitals and set aside the position for the Pharm D graduates.
Regarding handling of medicines in hospitals and pharmacies, Dr. Gupta mentions in his letter that in India all the Acts and Rules concerning drugs are violated here for decades. Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act, section 65 (b) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and the Pharmacy Practice Regulations 2015 permit only registered pharmacists to stock, compound and dispense the medicines.