In a new initiative to strengthen the homoeopathic treatment system in the state, the government of Kerala, after formation of Ayush department, is now considering to introduce a ‘one-year certificate course in homoeo pharmacy’ to fill up the numerous vacancies of pharmacists in the government-run homoeo dispensaries and hospitals.

The LBS Centre for Science and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram has been assigned to carry out the preliminary work in this regard. According to sources, the Centre has more or less completed the work on applications and the final list will be issued to the two government homoeo medical colleges which are conducting the pharmacy course. The programme is likely to be started next month.

In the beginning the course is restricted at the government level only. The two government homoeo medical colleges located at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikodu have been identified as centres of instruction for the course.

Dr. Salil Surendran, vice-president of the Kerala Government Homoeo Medical Officers Association (KGHMOA) said this is the first time in the country a state government is offering a certificate course in homoeo pharmacy. He said, previously the pharmacies at the homoeo hospitals and dispensaries were managed by nurse-cum-pharmacist (NCP) certificate holders. But the government has stopped the NCP course in the year 2010. Various homoeo medical associations and academic experts represented the government several times with proposals for an exclusive course in homoeo pharmacy. At last the government has decided to start the programme in 2015-16 academic year.

For the post of nurses, certificate holders of general nursing and midwifery (GNM) will be appointed. Currently, there are more than 150 vacancies of pharmacists in the homoeopathic department. Plenty of chances are there for those who complete the pharmacy certificate course in the first two to three years. The basic qualification for joining the course is only SSLC, but it has to be elevated to plus two level, Dr Salil told Pharmabiz.

According to sources from homoeopathic department, the government has conducted a detailed study of the issues of nursing and dispensing of medicines at the hospitals. So it has decided to wind up the previously existed NCP course, and identified GNM qualified candidates for the post of nurses, and decided to start a new course exclusively for pharmacists. This pharmacy course includes more training in hospital pharmacy and community pharmacies.

The course will be conducted under the supervision of the principals of the two government homoeo medical colleges. Academic experts in the field have prepared a comprehensive syllabus for the programme. Either the director of medical education (DME) for Ayush or the director of public instruction (DPI) will issue the certificates to the qualified candidates.

On completion of the course, the qualified persons will be able to start homoeo medical stores at the community level. Presently, homoeo doctors are licensed to run medical shops. But, the government has not clarified where the qualified candidates could register their certificates because there is no separate pharmacy council for homoeo. Whether they will be able to register with the Travancore Cochin Medical Council (TCMC) is a question to be answered by the government.