Ladakh Pharmacy Council registers its first batch of pharmacists

Leh, June 23: In an important event, the newly constituted Ladakh Pharmacy Council (LPC) of the Union Territory of Ladakh registered the first batch of 29 pharmacists. The Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal presented the Registration Certificates to the newly registered pharmacists in his office chamber.
Addressing the certified pharmacists, the Principal Secretary, said that earlier D Pharma degree holders from Ladakh couldn’t get themselves registered due to the absence of a pharmacy council in Ladakh. If they wished to get registered, they had to do it from either Srinagar or Jammu but now with the constitution of the LPC, it has become much easier for them, he added.
Dr. Kotwal said that the Ladakh Pharmacy Council will also take up with the central government the issue of those pharmacists who qualified under the previous J&K Pharmacy Act of 2011 but do not possess the qualifications prescribed under the Indian Pharmacy Act of 1948 which has been implemented in Ladakh after becoming a Union Territory. The GOI has amended the Indian Pharmacy Act 1948 by inserting section 32C so as to register such Pharmacists too as an exception, but the time for doing so has lapsed and a proposal has been sent to GOI for an extension of date for registration of such Pharmacists under Section 32C. These Pharmacists too shall be registered under section 32C of the Indian Pharmacy Act 1948 as soon as the notification for extension of the date for doing so is issued by the GOI.
Giving the welcome address, Registrar, Ladakh Pharmacy Council, Mohd. Bashir extended his gratitude to the Principal Secretary, for his tireless efforts that led to the establishment of the registration process. He shared that so far out of 48 applicants, 29 pharmacists have been registered, while the remaining applications are in process.
One of the D Pharma degree holder’s, Nusrat Khan who received her registration certificate, said that for a long time in Ladakh, getting registered was a struggle. She said that now D Pharma degree holders like herself will be eligible to apply for central jobs, or even start their own chemist shops as they are now licensed.
Constituted by the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT Ladakh, the Ladakh Pharmacy Council is a body corporate consisting of the Additional Secretary, Health and Medical Education as President, Director of Health Services as Vice-President (ex- officio), Controlling Authority, Drugs and Food Control Organisation (ex-officio) as Registrar-cum-Secretary, and Drugs Control Officer, Leh, and Kargil as Members.
The event was also attended by Dr. Iftakhar Chowdhary, President Ladakh Pharmacy Council; Sonam Dawa Member Ladakh Pharmacy Council; Nasreen, Member Pharmacy Council, and registered pharmacists.