‘No quality medicine access to rural population, IPA to study reasons’
   Date :22-Jan-2023


Narayana
 Dr T V Narayana
 
By Vikas Vaidya :
 
From April onwards, IPA to train pharmacists on how to administer vaccines, says Dr T V Narayana
 
 
While quality drugs manufactured in India are high in demand all over the world, 60 per cent of the country’s rural population has no access to it, revealed National President of Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), Dr T V Narayana. The IPA, under him, will conduct a study to find reasons and provide solutions to the Government of India. Dr Narayana, who also is General Secretary of IPCA, is in Nagpur to grace the 72nd Indian Pharmaceutical Congress. “We can’t neglect this particular aspect where a large part of the society remains deprived of latest in medicine. People in rural India have equal right for access to quality drugs. We feel, the medicines should be available at every Primary Health Centre and Rural Hospital.
 
Drug manufacturing companies have requested the Government for subsidy. Because of non-access to essential drugs, the rural population gets trapped and forced to consume wrong medicines,” said Dr Narayana while talking to ‘The Hitavada’. Of course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken an initiative of Janaushadhi programme through which generic medicines can be made available in rural areas. One realises whatever Dr Narayana speaks, he speaks from the bottom of his heart. Under his Presidentship, the IPA is preparing a draft of suggestions and solutions to be sent to the Government. “I always go to the root cause. For example, tomorrow we will be making resolutions of the 72nd IPC. When I studied last resolutions, I found those were not fulfilled.
 
Taking this into account, I have formed a Resolution Follow-up Committee. When we will make resolutions to be sent to the Government, the copy of the same will be given to the committee. The committee would pursue the matters and get those implemented,” added Dr Narayana who works with result-oriented aspect. “Gradually, we wish to handed over healthcare load to pharmacists. To begin with, we will train them on how to administer vaccines. The training will begin from April 2023,” informed Dr Narayana. “Pharmacists, at present, have become traders. We have framed the Pharmacy Practice Regulatory, 2013 which specifies what Pharmacists could do. The Regulatory widens the role of a Pharmacist,” added Dr Narayana.