In order to bring in pharmacist's involvement in the government's healthcare policy, Delhi based Udyog Development Foundation (UDF), a not for profit organisation who spearheaded the Indian Pharmaceutical Revolution (IPR) Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari from January to December 2013 will be hosting the India Pharmacists Convention (IPC) in New Delhi on August 3, 2014.

The Convention is likely to witness key health policy makers of India to deliberate on issues ranging from pharmacist's role in various healthcare schemes to the creation of Indian Pharmaceutical Service (IPS) and a separate Directorate of Pharmacy. Says Amitav Joyprakash Choudhury, founder, UDF and convener-IPR Yatra, "There are several qualified pharmacists who are still unemployed. Government should fill up all the vacant posts of pharmacists for various projects coming under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), apart from appointing them at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), district hospitals and medical college hospitals”.

According to UDF, Government should form a separate cadre for pharmacists to take them out of the purview of paramedicals for full utilisation of their services and also fix minimum wages for them as they are out of the ambit of labour laws.  

The Convention would be instrumental in giving thrust to the role of qualified pharma professionals right through community pharmacy in the healthcare, industry-related job openings like manufacturing, research and marketing of pharmaceuticals. The other objective is bring in uniform promotional avenues and emoluments for the pharmacists serving in Central and State Governments. There is also a dire need for starting a Bridge course to upgrade the knowledge of practicing pharmacists and strict implementation of regulatory provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the Rules thereunder.

Dr GN Singh, DCGI, Dr Mahesh Zagade, commissioner, FDA, Prof B Suresh, president, Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Dr Jitendra Patel, national president, IMA, Dr Partha Jyoti Gogoi, director, Regional Drug Testing Lab, Dr Salim Veljee, director, FDA, Goa, Prof Pramil Tiwari from NIPER, Dr Surinder Singh, director, National Institute of Biologicals, Ravi Uday Bhaskar, Gen Secretary, All India Drugs Control Officer's Confederation and Atul Nasa, president, Indian Pharmacy Garduates Association will be amongst the dignitaries who will take part in the panel discussion of the convention.