Pharmacists may get right to prescribe certain drugs

LUCKNOW: Pharmacists may soon be entitled to prescribe certain group of medicines to patients as the state health department is mulling over ways to increase their utility.

“We are mulling over changes in the department that are best for patient care, particularly those rules and policies that are old and were made at a time when patient inflow in hospitals was low,” said health minister JP Singh at a World Pharmacy Day event here on Wednesday.

He said the responsibility of the government was to ensure facilities reached the, farmers and other deprived people and for that changes were required. “We will discuss with officials how to give you more power. People want to get medicines and we need to ensure their demands are

addressed,” said the minister.

Singh said that plans were also being made to extend the OPD hours to the maximum. “If we run OPD 24-hours or increase the hours beyond the existing timing we will require more staff,” he said.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of the event, the health minister said major changes would be made in the department

to ensure that working improved.

Office-bearers of the pharmacists’ association, including Rajat Yadav and VK Singh, presented a memorandum of their demands. “Where drug distribution is taking place a pharmacist has to be present. This is our motto,” said Rajat Yadav.

Over 3,000 pharmacists from across the state attended the event.