Three years after the only government-run BPharm course in the state was suspended, the new course is nowhere in sight. The officials with the Directorate of Homoeopathy, cite the issue as the key reason for the increasing number of vacancies of pharmacists in the sector.
The only government-run pharmacist course in the state was the nursing-cum-pharmacist (NCP) Homoeopathy course at the Government Homeopathic Medical College in Kozhikode.
“From an academic point of view, the one-year course is hardly sufficient to learn either BPharm or nursing. Besides, the course was not approved by the Nursing council. Hence, it was decided that instead of a one-year diploma course in nursing and BPharm, there must be a two-year BPharm course in Homoeo. Owing to the confusion, the course was suspended,” said an official from the Directorate of Homoeo.
That was back in 2009. The government later went on to constitute a committee to start the new course and take the procedure forward. Three years later, the course is nowhere in sight. “We have already finalised the syllabus and it has been approved. The prospectus is also complete. Since we cannot conduct the admission procedures, the government has assigned it to the LBS College. But the procedures are yet to start,” said the principal of the Government Homoeopathic Medical College in Kozhikode.
Meanwhile, the absence of the course has meant that many of the districts are facing a shortage of personnel for the posts of pharmacists. Ernakulam district alone has 10 out of the 43 pharmacists posts vacant.
“The shortage has been felt across the state, especially the north. It means the doctors will have to take time off for record keeping and the provision of drugs, thereby affecting efficiency. Unless immediate affirmative action is taken, we will face a severe shortage,” said an official with the Homoeo Directorate.
