The Kerala State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) has become the first state council in the country to recognize the services of working pharmacists in various fields by instituting and presenting ‘Best Pharmacist Awards’ for outstanding performances in various fields of pharmacy profession.

Although the central pharmacy council, Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), decided to introduce Pharmacy Awards for distinguished performances of registered pharmacists early this year, KSPC had started recognizing the services of working pharmacists way back in 2003. Till last year, KSPC was giving ‘Best Pharmacist Award’ to three category pharmacists. From this year, it included the regulatory pharmacy also in the list. Total four awards were presented to dedicated pharmacists from four areas of profession.

B Rajan, president of KSPC, said no other state pharmacy council in India has instituted any award for pharmacy professionals. According to him, the Council decided to introduce awards because neither the state government nor the central government does come forward to recognize the services of pharmacy professionals. But, the services of the doctors and the nurses are recognized by both the central and state governments.

This year KSPC distributed the awards in a function held as part of the scientific seminar organized by the council to commemorate the death anniversary of MNVG Adiyodi, the first elected president of KSPC, last week at Thiruvananthapuram. The awards were given away by Revi S Menon, the state drugs controller in the presence of B Rajan.

In the field of teaching profession, the professor of pharmaceutics at the Al Shifa College of Pharmacy in Perinthalmanna, Dr. Arun Prasad, was presented the ‘Best Pharmacy Teacher Award 2017. The award consisted of a citation and a cash prize of Rs. 5,000.

D N. Anitha, pharmacist at the general hospital at Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram, bagged the ‘Best Hospital Pharmacist Award’ and E K Praveen, pharmacist at the Lekshmi Pharmacy in Ernakulam got the ‘Best Community Pharmacist Award’. Both of them received Rs. 5,000 each and a citation.

The first regulatory pharmacist award was presented to PK Sree Kumar, assistant drugs controller at Thiruvananthapuram in recognition of his outstanding services in the enforcement wing.

P K Radhakrishnan, pharmacist at Kuttankulangara PHC in Wynadu district was given ‘Best Performance Award’ for his services in tribal areas.

The central pharmacy council has so far not declared the details of their first national pharmacy awards though it was supposed to be held on September 25 as part of ‘Pharmacist Day’ celebrations, according to PCI’s earlier announcement.

PCI is giving best performance awards in the areas of hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy, pharmacy teaching, research pharmacy (Industry) and regulatory pharmacy. In addition to this an outstanding performance award will be given to a state pharmacy council.