Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 08 February 2023
Mr. Abhay Kumar, National President, Indian Pharmacist Association has taken up the issues of the Pharmacists with several dignitaries on multiple occasions. Mr. Abhay recently met Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Member of Parliament, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and persuaded him to take up the issue of the reforms for pharmacists at the appropriate level.
On 7th February 2023, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma spoke on the need for reforms for pharmacists in Lok Sabha under rule 377 during the ongoing budget session.
While speaking in Lok Sabha Mr. Sharma said “ “The Pharma industry has seen a rapid rise in the past three years with rapid digitisation and advanced research in the field has opened gates for newer avenues of treatment for mankind. The pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow to $1.5 Trillion by 2023. The Pharma industry presently employs over 2.7 million people in high skill areas like R&D and manufacturing. However the overall development of Pharma sector and in particular the pharmacist requires urgent reforms in order to capitalise the potential and create more jobs. Currently, pharmacy matters are dealt by three different ministries and there is a an urgent need to reform the functioning of Pharmacy Council of India in order to ensure that it is the flag bearer for the development and welfare of Pharmacists. I request the Government to create Pharmacy Cell at par with the Nursing cell under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and from a cadre of Pharmacists with promotional avenues for Pharmacists with entry grade pay of 4600 as per 6th CPC. In addition to this I also request the Government to streamline recruitment of Pharmacists under the Health Department of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, which have been pending since 2018.”