PCI submits national action plan to Union health ministry to revamp pharmacy education in the country

Chennai, November 25, 2021:

In line with the Central government’s new education policy, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has prepared a national action plan to revamp pharmacy education in the country and submitted the plan project to the Union health ministry.

The action-plan envisages an uplift of pharmacy education from its present position to the level of global standards and wants to strengthen the representation of pharmacists in healthcare delivery. It is recommended that the involvement of pharmacists in the healthcare delivery system needs to be increased. Special attention of the government has been sought to that area which is specified in the project report.
 
The plan report that outlines the actions to be implemented to refurbish the education system of pharmaceutical sciences has been handed over to the Union health minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya for approval by the PCI president Dr B Suresh.
 
Sources close to the PCI informed Pharmabiz that the health minister, after appreciating the progressive steps being taken by the PCI, has advised the national pharmacy education regulator to implement schemes to develop a globally competent pharmacist workforce. He wanted the council to pay great attention to the quality aspect of pharmacy education as compromise on quality aspects cannot be expected from the government side. The minister further said the government is adopting a zero-tolerance policy for the education system and it is the duty for the council to assure it.

After going through the action plan report, the health minister assured all support for the PCI for implementing good programmes that envisaged in the action plan.
 
The action plan of the pharmacy council stresses on to implement its proposed ‘exit regulations’ from this academic year. Earlier it had recommended an exit examination for diploma in pharmacy (D Pharm) students to all educational institutions in the country. After passing out the diploma course, the students need to take the exit exam to be eligible for registration of his certificate with the state pharmacy council. For this purpose, in 2018 PCI introduced D Pharm Exit Examination Regulations (DPEER) 2018, but the scheme is yet to be implemented by all colleges and universities. From this year onwards PCI wants to make it mandatory that for registration of certificates with state pharmacy councils, all diploma holders must clear the exit exam.
 
PCI sources further informed that the council is taking some good steps with foreign institutions and health care bodies for generating employment opportunities for Indian pharmacists. Similarly, a web portal with dashboards of registered pharmacists from across the country designed by PCI will be launched very soon. The digital system for registration and tracking of pharmacists is called ‘Pharmacist Registration and Tracking System (PRTS), details the action plan.  Pharmabiz