The students of VES College of Pharmacy (VESCOP) in the city held a campaign to promote rational use of medicines among the local people and also the community pharmacists, in connection with the World Pharmacists Day on September 25.

Under the banner of the Public Health Office Committee of the College, the students staged street plays in the residential colonies of Chembur recently. The plays sought to highlight the issues of incomplete course of anti-biotic therapy and the danger of self-medication.

The student volunteers also held surveys among the community pharmacists in different areas to promote safe and rational use of drugs. The campaign was led by Ramalakshmi Anand, PHO co-ordinator of VESCOP.

Many people in these areas were not aware of the ill-effects of incomplete anti-biotic medication as they choose to stop the medication once the situation gets better. Another dangerous and growing practice is the medication without prescription. The attempt was to shed some light on it, according to Principal  Dr Supriya Shidhaye.

VES College of Pharmacy, started in the year 2007, has been active with non-curricular programmes and campaigns in the past also.