On the eve of World Pharmacists Day, pharmacists from Delhi based pharma advocacy group, India Pharmacists Abhiyan met the health ministry and chemical fertilizer ministry officials and appealed them to consider their demands in the interest of patient safety.

Among other demands submitted by the pharmacists to Union health minister JP Nadda, Dr VK Subburaj, secretary, department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) and Dr Jagdish Prasad, director general of health services (DGHS) included establishment of pharma education under the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on par with medical and nursing courses, it was suggested to amend Food Safety and Standards Act 2011 to add pharmacy as a subject of academic qualification for the post of Food Safety Officer.

Other recommendations include formation of Ministry of Pharmaceuticals, specify pharmacists role in health policy,   reforms in drug regulatory system and establishment of drug testing laboratory in districts.  It also includes pharmacy to be a subject in UPSC- Creation of Indian Pharmaceutical Services, creation of Pharmacy Cadre in central and state health ministry, prescription writing of some essential drugs for pharmacists working in hospital in the absence of doctor.  

Minimum wages for pharmacists in industry and trade along with reform in pharma education was also proposed. Implementation of D&C Act, Pharmacy Act, Pharmacy Practice Regulation in Country was also recommended.

Informed Amitav Joyprakash Choudhury, Convener, India Pharmacists Abhiyan, "In order to generate awareness about pharmacist's role in healthcare, India Pharmacists Abhiyan will be launched in Varanasi on 2nd October 2015. It is a 5 years programme which will cover all states from Kashmir to Kanyakumari between 2015 and 2020. This will help sensitize policy makers about the role of pharmacist in healthcare for better patient safety."