Union minister of state for Ayush (independent charge) Pratap Jadhav at the event organised by PCI on Tuesday
Addressing a state-level function organised by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) in association with MGM University’s department of pharmaceutical sciences and Y B Chavan College of Pharmacy, Jadhav said every pharmacy should serve as a trusted centre for medicine-related information and awareness. It is a challenge for the entire society,” he said, warning that self-medication, altering treatment without medical advice and discontinuing medicines midway fuel drug-resistant infections, making even common illnesses difficult to treat. Highlighting the critical role of pharmacists in healthcare delivery, Jadhav said they must counsel patients on medicine quality, dosage, duration of treatment, method of use and possible side effects. The minister said emerging fields like digital health, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and drug research were creating new opportunities and stressed the need to update pharmacy education and training to keep pace with changing healthcare demands.
“Antimicrobial resistance is not limited to a single patient. He also urged pharmacists to encourage patients to complete prescribed courses and avoid sharing leftover medicines. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : Union minister of state for Ayush (independent charge) Pratap Jadhav on Tuesday called unnecessary use of antibiotics a major public health threat, urging pharmacists to take the lead in promoting the safe and rational use of medicines.
Patel said provisions of around Rs 200 crore had been made for GPAT scholarships for MPharma students, while Rs 80 crore has been earmarked for research and skill development centres.
PCI president Montukumar Patel said National Education Policy-aligned B Pharma curriculum now placed greater emphasis on clinical pharmacy, AI and advanced technologies. He said an industry-academia advisory board had been constituted to bridge the gap between education and industry requirements.