TAMBARAM: During a "drug awareness walk" in Tambaram on Sunday, members of voluntary organisations, pharmacists and residents highlighted the need for rational use of drugs by physicians and pharmacists, preventing self-medication by patients and the setting up of a pharmacy university by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Organised jointly by the Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA) and the Lions Club of Chitlapakkam, the walk was undertaken as part of the National Pharmacy Week.

Though the Pharmacy Week is observed in the second week of November every year, it was delayed for 2005 due to the rains.

K. Bhasker, Governor of Lions District 324 - A6, flagged off the rally that commenced near the Varadaraj Theater, Chitlapakkam. The rally ended at Amar Nagar park, Kadaperi.

Pointing out that there were 38 colleges offering education in pharmacy at the graduate level and another 42 institutions offering diploma courses, participants of the event said the setting up of a university would go a long way in developing this sector. Though several hundred trained pharmacists passed out every year, there were very little job opportunities in the State.

Citing provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, K. Chinnasamy, executive member, Pharmacy Council of India, said it was mandatory for every drug store to have a trained and a qualified pharmacist round the clock. Though there have been many representations from the different quarters, particularly the IPA and other associations to implement the provisions strictly, the mandatory practice has been observed more in the breach.

Enforcing the provisions of these rules and that of the Pharmacy Act 1948 had become more relevant than ever before considering the boom in population, as also the marked decline in personal attention extended to patients by doctors, said T. Elango, Registrar, Tamil Nadu Pharmacy Council. There were about 35,000 drug stores and 50,000 trained pharmacists in the State. Making it mandatory for every drug store to appoint a pharmacist, would not only go a long way in finding jobs for them, but also would bring about a tangible improvement in the public health scenario.

In order to save money and time, several patients took medicines on their own resulting in harmful side effects and other complications. The Council also planned to set up Drug Information Centres on the lines of those functioning in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Mr. Elango added.

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