The Directorate of Indian System of Medicines will soon start a two year diploma course in ‘Integrated Pharmacy’ at the Aringar Anna Hospital of ISM in Chennai. This was disclosed by the principal secretary and director of ISM, Tamil Nadu, GA Rajkumar.

Along with this the Directorate is also planning to start a Diploma Course in Nursing for ISM hospitals.

On completion of the two year integrated pharmacy course, the students will have six months internship in selected ISM hospitals in the state. The syllabus of the course will include: Basic Anatomy, Physiology, Properties of Medicine, Manufacturing Process, Pharmacology and Dispensing Practice, the director said.

According to the director, under NRHM, Government is planning to start 300 Siddha clinics in the State. He further said, unlike other states, in Tamil Nadu, out of the total 1600 Public Health Centres in the state, 479 are attached with ISM health centres also. The government is planning to add more ISM clinical units to the PHCs. This is part of the Government’s initiative to integrate traditional medicine with Allopathy.

Those who pass these integrated courses will have ample chances for employment in various fields in the ISM sector. In Chennai alone, more than 200 Siddha pharmacies are functioning. The Diploma holders of Integrated Pharmacy can work as pharmacists in these stores also.

Those who complete the course of nursing can start work as nursing assistants in the ISM PHCs.

Dr T Thirunarayanan, secretary of the Centre for Traditional Medicines and Research said, “The directorate was conducting the diploma course in Siddha previously. Since all other systems are in the fray, the authorities have to add Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy also.”

Those in the ISM industry said the course will help generate more technical hands with regard to manufacturing of traditional medicines in the state. The diploma holders will be eligible to get jobs in the manufacturing companies as shift-supervisors.