Even as the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) are in force in the country from 2015 and the government of Kerala had already issued a circular to implement the PPR in the state, the health department of Kerala government, without complying the order, initiates action to cut down the role of pharmacists in dispensing medicines to the patients of non-communicable diseases (NCD) referred to the hospital pharmacies by sub-centres, it is learnt.

According to sources from Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and State Pharmacy Council, the move of the Kerala government is violation of Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act 1948 and non-compliance of PPR-2015.  Sources further pointed out that this move of the Kerala health department happens at a time when a national level demand of the Indian pharmacist community to include them in all the national health programmes, which is under the consideration of Union government.
 
Leaders of the government pharmacist organisation in Kerala (KGPA) say that in Kerala health centres, from the year 2012 onwards medicines for the patients referred by NCD clinics at the sub-centres of PHCs have been dispensed by the pharmacists at the PHCs or CHCs or thaluk hospitals. Drugs for NCDs are dispensed only at these hospitals. But, on 24th June, this year, the health secretary issued an order that the drugs for NCDs could be distributed through the sub-centres under the supervision of the junior public health nurses (JPHNs).

KGPA alleges that no national health programme has specified a role for pharmacists and medicines for the patients under all non-communicable disease programmes are dispensed by public health nurses all over the country. As per Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940, Pharmacy Act 1948 and PPR 2015, pharmacists are the only authorized professionals to handle medicines at all levels.

Based on the order, the director of health services (DHS) issued circular to all medical officers asking them to take steps for distribution of NCD drugs through sub-centres by JPHNs. Protesting the move, the KGPA leaders have met the DHS and the state health minister and apprised them of the violation of Section 42 of the Pharmacy Act, and wanted to continue the system as prevailed earlier.

According to K Muraleedharan, general secretary of KGPA, from the year 2012, patients coming to the sub-centres for pressure and sugar tests were being referred to the hospitals with an NCD card and the doctors at the hospitals prescribed medicines which were dispensed by the pharmacists at the hospital pharmacies. Now the health secretary has decided to stop dispensing of medicines by pharmacists, and distribute it at the sub-centres by the public health nurses.

Muraleedharan said, the pharmacists have not been included in any of the Central government’s health programmes for non-communicable diseases such as National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, National Leprosy Eradication Programme, National AIDS Control Programme, Universal Immunization Programme, National Guinea worm Eradication Programme and Yaws Control Programme.