The pharmacists in Kerela have demanded to the state government to establish a Pharma Park in the state which will increase the quantity of drug production and the growth of the industries besides providing large scale job opportunities to the young pharmacists in the state. A resolution to this effect was passed in the National Pharmaceutical Scientific Seminar organised by the Kerala State Pharmacy Council in Thiruvananthapuram recently.

The pharmacists attended the seminar, both from industry and academia, opined that the ideal place for the Park could be identified either at Idukki or Waynadu district. The resolution was presented in the seminar by B Rajan, president of the council.

Participating in the discussion organised as part of the seminar, Dr B Suresh, president, Pharmacy Council of India, said India could become a major contributor of all kinds of quality medicines required by World Health Organisation (WHO) last year for their universal health projects, and a state like Kerala can put in more supplies in future provided the state government establishes a Pharma Park in the state.

He said WHO received 80 per cent of its total requirement of medicines in 2013 from India and in the same year the country could satisfy 60 per cent of the total medicine demand of other countries. Now India has become the major supplier of medicines to the world.

“Kerala has a good number of manufacturing companies and a very good number of qualified pharmacists.  If the government takes a positive step to set up one Pharma Park, it will increase the quantity of drug production and the growth of the industries besides providing large scale job opportunities to the young pharmacists”, he said by exhorting the working pharmacists to be more vigilant about the increasing tendency of unethical practices in the present day pharmacy profession.

The PCI president also wanted the government to take immediate steps to start Pharm D course in the Medical College at Thiruvananthapuram. PCI had given the approval for the course in the year 2011, but no step has been taken so far by the government to commence the programme.