Concerned over the delay in implementing the Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015 (PPR) in all the states in the country, the fifth national conference of the All India State Governments Pharmacists Association (AISGPA) is planning to seek the intervention of the Union government to implement the PPR in all the states.
 
For this, the association will pass a resolution in the national conference demanding the Union health ministry to take steps with each state government to cut the red tape and hasten the process for implementation, said Ravi Panchal, president of the association.

The national conference of AISGPA will be held at Kollam in Kerala on May 8, this year.
 
Further, it will demand for establishment of Directorate of Pharmacy in each state and amendment in rules for the same. Similarly, a demand will be made for a national training academy for working pharmacists in New Delhi to update all developments happening in the profession and practice side as well as progress and changes in various rules and acts concerning drugs and pharmacy profession.
 
Among other things, the pharmacists will demand for restructuring of the cadre for more avenues for promotion which are losing for the hospital pharmacists in many states. In several states, hundreds of vacancies of pharmacist posts are lying unfilled. AISGPA will submit one memorandum to the Union government seeking a direction to all state governments to take this matter seriously.

 
While briefing Pharmabiz about the event, Panchal said the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) introduced the PPR in 2015 January, but it is not implemented by any state government although no legal hurdle is there. He said, for a comprehensive healthcare plan for the whole country, a national level pharmacy controlling mechanism, on the lines of the CDSCO, is necessary, and that will also form part of the resolutions.

 
Viswanathan Thankachan, general convener of the conference organising committee in Kerala said the national conference is organised in Kerala as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Kerala Government Pharmacists Association (KGPA).

 
As part of the programme, a three days exhibition of pharmaceutical products will be arranged. Along with, seminars and discussions on pharmacy profession and get-together of retired pharmacists are also being planned.
 
The all India association of government pharmacists was formed in 2014 in Bengaluru. Previous national conferences were held in Nagpur, Benglauru, Chennai and Kolkata.