Indian Pharmacists Association Pharmacists play an important role when it comes to medicines to chemical and physical properties

AURANGABAD: Pharmacists across the city organised a series of events, including a rally in Waluj, to mark the World Pharmacists Day (WPD) on Sunday.
This year the day was observed under the theme "Pharmacists: Caring for you" with the aim of updating the knowledge base of the dispensers while creating awareness among people regarding proper use of medicines.

Sanjay Toshniwal, secretray Indian Pharmacists Association (IPA), Aurangabad, said, "Pharmacist community is one of the three main pillars of the healthcare system with doctors and nurses being the other two. The day aims to recognise the relentless efforts of pharmacists as healthcare providers."

He said the IPA will also organise a series of lectures by Sheikh Jahangir, popularly known for his innovations such as converting second-hand scooters into super machines capable of working as a washing machine and even a flour mill.

The extraordinary innovation of this uneducated man from Jalgaon in Maharashtra, the scooter-powered flour mill was also exhibited in the Hindi blockbuster, 3 Idiots, said Toshniwal.

Meanwhile, the WPD was also marked by Yash institute of pharmacy, Waluj. The day was celebrated by organising different programmes like poster-making, elocution competition. Also, a rally was organised to spread awareness on safe use of medicines.

Hiral Majmudar, principal of Yash Institute of Pharmacy, said pharmacy as a profession contributes immensely in the field of health.

"Pharmacists play an important role when it comes to medicines as they are aware about their composition, chemical and physical properties, manufacturer, uses, side-effects and interactions with food and other medicines. "They also provide specialized information to doctors, nurses and other health professionals. Pharmacists are involved in every aspect of the preparation and use of medicines, from their research and development to eventual supply to a patient," said Suyog Joshi, assistant professor, Yash Institute of Pharmacy.

A pharmacist as a health partner who advises patients on proper use of medicines for maximum effect, how to reduce side effects, how to avoid drug drug interactions especially for patients taking plenty of drugs, medications to prevent untoward drug- food interaction, said Joshi.

It is an undoubted fact that pharmacists are authority on drug matters. Pharmacists are drug experts.

Pharmacists are trained as communicators, counsellors and work within a code of professional ethics that encompasses their relationship with other health professionals and the public, he added.

The Government of India's gazette notification on Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015 could kindle a new symbiotic relationship between a pharmacist and patients. The Pharmacy Practice Regulations-2015 has sought to widen the role of present day pharmacists, bring in a uniform ethics code, clear-cut definitions of roles and responsibilities of pharmacists towards patients. Interestingly, the new regulations could well boost the concept of community pharmacy, he said. The new pharmacy regulations empower pharmacists to go a step ahead and, in addition to giving drugs, they also can counsel patients at the time of dispensing and provide drug information to patients.

The pharmacist has to interact with patients, doctors and other healthcare providers, and educate patients about medicines and other line of treatment that might have been prescribed to them, he added.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/Events-to-celebrate-role-of-pharmacists/articleshow/54534835.cms