Aiming to create awareness amongst the people about the role of the pharmacist in healthcare, and also to promote the pharmacy profession, the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) will celebrate 50 th year of the National Pharmacy Week (NPW) from November 20 to 27.

The pharmacists from all over the country will spread the message 'Pharmacist: A healthcare professional'.

The programme aims to educate the public about the pharmacist and the pharmacy profession and its vital role in society, to interact and sensitize the various authorities and do advocacy on various fronts so as to highlight the important role of the pharmacist in healthcare and well being of the people, and ensure that the pharmacist is given his due in India’s healthcare system – both private and public.

“This year we want to inform that pharmacist is a health care professional. In India, pharmacists works under various sectors, applying their unique knowledge and skills, contributing to the health of the nation, playing a variety of roles for the benefit of society. Like in pharmaceutical industry they carry out a variety of roles in manufacturing, quality assurance, quality control, packaging, R&D; they also work in community (retail) pharmacies, hospitals pharmacies, clinical pharmacists in hospitals, teacher or a researcher in institution, etc,” said Divakar Goli, chairman of NPW.