Unqualified People are running pharmacy shops freely in the state and now NSPC (Nagaland State Pharmacy Council) is serious regarding the issue and soon will contact the state government Chief Minister and the Health Minister to cancel the drug licenses that were given to unqualified people to run pharmacies.
Dziesevotuo, NSPC president said that the council demanding the immediate intervention of the drug licenses given to unregistered pharmacists and seal all the pharmacies run by non-pharmacists and unqualified people. He also told that the northeastern state has around 3,000 community pharmacies, and only 550 registered pharmacists out of 3,000. Around 2,500 chemist shops are running by unqualified and non-pharmacists people, that can cause serious harm to the people.
The council demanded serious legal action should be taken against them and their licenses should be canceled immediately. The council also said that the state drugs control department is not efficient as illegal activities are taking place in the pharmacy sector regularly.
NSPC also said that the DC department giving licenses to anybody who seeks to run a medical shop without any qualification check. NSPC was also sent a memorandum to the DC department to stop giving licenses to unregistered and unqualified people, but maybe the government is supporting the DC department. So, to take serious action, NSPC will approach the government directly for a strict solution to this illegal act.
As per laws, only registered pharmacists can dispense medicines to patients but government issuing licenses as the cause of the shortage of registered pharmacists. But to take health at priority, the government should cancel the licenses that were given to unqualified people.
Another thing that needs to be noticed that NSPC office is working at the office place of the registrar’s office, who is the chief pharmacist in a government hospital. NSPC sent a number of requests to the government to give them space for an independent office for NSPC. But the government never sanctioned any funds or allotted any building for them.
The government or the DC department never paid attention and interest to develop and strengthen the pharmacy profession in Nagaland.
Dziesevotuo, president of NSPC also added that because of poor manpower, DC department is not strong. In the state, there are only 7 drug inspectors and a number of qualified pharmacists who have not renewed their registrations even after five years. The pharmacy council will submit a memorandum to the government requesting permission for appointing pharmacy inspectors.
