[india-drug] Contemporary pharmacy practices

[Sunitha Srinivas <s.srinivas@ru.ac.za>]

(A shift towards focusing on the pharmacy practice programs to assist
the health care team in working towards the goal of a patient focussed
approach is essential for India. The fact that National Health Policy
in India is yet to recognise the potential of pharmacists as a part of
the health care team calls for debates to show that unless there is a
team working towards pharmaceutical care plans, doctors and nurses
cannot be bogged down further with issues of rational pharmaceutical
management and patient counselling. The India drug participants are
urged to contribute so that these important issues are debated and
argued to stimulate professional growth of health care teams.
Thanks?SS) 


Contemporary pharmacy practices need to be evolved for effective NHP:
PD Sheth
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Saturday, December 20, 2003 15:30 IST 
Our Bureau, Chennai

Many key speakers at the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC)
criticized the central government for not recognizing the vital role
that could be played by the pharmacists for the successful
implementation of the National Health Policy (NHP) initiatives. They
felt that no national health programme could be complete without
specifying the role of community pharmacist and their active
involvement in the country. The theme of the 55th IPC 2003 is
?Pharmacy, Medicine Management and The NHP?. 

Pointing out the importance given to pharmacists in developed
countries, they felt that in India, national programmes intended at
?health for all?, ?promotion of essential drugs?, ?primary healthcare?,
?control of HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria etc? are not related directly or
otherwise to pharmacists. 

?India needs to put in place some mechanism and bring about changes in
the national health policies to develop a global pharmacist. There has
to be attempts to create and impart appropriate education and training
for developing contemporary pharmacy practices,? says Prafull D Sheth,
president, president Indian Pharmaceutical Association.

Delivering the 29th BV Patel Memorial Lecture on ?Globalization of
Indian Pharmacist ? What are we? Where should we be going?? he felt
that Indian pharmacists have failed to impress upon the decision makers
on the need to recognize the role of the profession in bringing about
changes in the healthcare delivery sector.

?WHO had always concluded that only when pharmacist has been accepted
as vital member of the healthcare team, there can be scope for more
professionalism. Ironically, even as the Ministry of Health endorses
the resolutions of the World health Assembly, it has conveniently
avoided the implementation and inclusion of pharmacy in the NHP,? he
said. 

Though there is sufficient number of pharmacists in India, their
quality is not up to the mark. This has resulted in an erosion of
public faith in the healthcare delivery capacity of the pharmacist.
Reflecting the fact was the recent recommendation of the 29th Standing
Parliamentary Committee to allow non-qualified pharmacists to dispense
the drugs, he said. 

Sheth wanted the professional ability of the pharmacist to be upgraded
considerably if he needs to grow in stature before the public eye.
?Pharmacist should not be seen just as a person who can read out the
prescriptions and pick up the medicines. His knowledge level should be
raised. In tune with this change, there has to be a separation of
prescribing and dispensing. Sighting the experiences in other
developing countries where such transition took place, he felt that
such a distinction will result in more careful issuance of
prescriptions by the doctors,? he explained. 

Setting tone for the discussion, Ashwini Kumar, president, Indian
Pharmaceutical Congress Association (ICPA) had during his theme address
at the inaugural function hinted on the government attitude towards
involving pharmacists in national healthcare programmes.


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