In a memorandum submitted to the government of Bihar by the state branch of the Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA) has wanted it to include the pharma industry in the state in the ‘thrust area’ of the industrial policy of the Bihar government, and incentives should be given to all the pharma units.

Dr S P Singh, general secretary of IPGA Bihar state branch, while speaking to Pharmabiz, said there are more than one hundred pharmaceutical companies in Bihar, and majority of them are small scale units. Since there is no governmental support of any kind, all the units are struggling. He said his association has given memorandums to the health ministry several times, but no positive step is taken by the government. However, continuous demand is made.
 
He said the government of Bihar is giving subsidies to many industrial units other than pharma. “We demand to the government to give us 35 per cent subsidy as is given to other areas. If there is no support from the government, the existing units will vanish from the field shortly”, he added. He answered to one question that the state is depending on neighboring states for all healthcare needs including medicines.
 
S.P. Sing, who was joint director in the health department previously, said despite repeated demands from various associations, the government is not filling up the vacant posts of pharmacists. For the smooth running of the healthcare institutions under the government, the government should double the existing number of pharmacists. He said Bihar is the state in India which has the largest number of pharmacists’ posts sanctioned. Currently, it has only 50 per cent of the total requirement.
 
According to Singh, the Drug Inspector post is under gazatted rank all over India. Similarly, the government should make the post of pharmacist as gazatted one.
 
Another important demand made to the government was that online facilities should be established for the health and drug control departments. All other states have high tech facilities for their health department, but Bihar is still following the old and obsolete ways.’