For strengthening and unifying the pharmacy practice in homoeopathic system in the country, the National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), based in Kolkata is starting a diploma course in Homoeopathic Pharmacy Practice from July this year.

This is the first time, a Central Government Institute is starting a pharmacy practice course in homoeopathy under central health ministry’s patronage, said Dr Eswar Das, director, NIH, Kolkata.

Though several states in India are conducting various kinds of pharmacy practice courses, a research oriented and practical course on homoeopathy is launched for the time in India. It is hoped that the maiden course of pharmacy practice by National Institute of Homoeopathy will make an overall change in the total pharmacy practices of the country as it is the allopathic pharmacists who are doing homoeopathy pharmacy practice in all the shops and hospitals in the country.

“The main aim of the course is to unify the homoeopathic pharmacy practice in the country. Earlier in 1996, an expert committee formed by the Ayush Department had conducted a study about the unification of homoeopathic pharmacy practice in the country, and subsequently submitted their report. But due to so many reasons, it was held up and could not be implemented. Now we have planned to start a course based on the committee’s proposal,” Dr Eswar Das told Pharmabiz from Kolkota.

He said earlier the Ayush Department recommended formation of a Pharmacy Council for Homoeopathy and following it a bill was introduced in the parliament. Several good initiatives are in the pipeline for strengthening this method of treatment. As part of it, the Diploma course will be shortly started in other states also.

The government homoeopathy hospitals and dispensaries in many states in the country are facing shortages of homoeopathy pharmacists. The course will find a way out for that lacuna, he said. The number of intake of students for the first batch will be 20 and the syllabus is being framed out and it will be common for all the states who intend to start the course.

On completing the course, apart from trading in medicines, the homoeopathic pharmacist can go for production also.