A two-day National Seminar in which several landmark announcements were made by the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J&K state, Shyam Lal Sharma, was organized on July 15 & 16, 2009 by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir on the theme “Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Education and Research”. During the two day National Seminar eminent experts in the field delivered guest lectures and delegates from various parts of the country presented their research findings. Key note address was delivered by Prof. S. S. Agarwal, Director, Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, in which he deliberated upon the various advancements made in the field of Pharmaceutical Education and Research. He emphasized upon the need to promulgate a comprehensive Drug Policy for the state of Jammu and Kashmir and also stressed upon the need to have a Regional Pharmacovigilance Center in the valley. Other invited lectures were delivered by Prof. Shahid H. Ansari, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, Prof. Parvaiz A. Koul, Head, Dept. of Internal and Pulmonary Medicine, SKIMS, Srinagar, Prof. V. Verma, Director, School of Biotechnology, Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu and Dr. A. S. Shawl, Director, IIIM, Srinagar who discussed in detail various issues concerning latest developments in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Inaugural function held on July 15th was presided over by Prof. Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir whereas Sh. Shyam Lal Sharma, Minister for Health, Family Welfare, Horticulture and Floriculture was the Chief Guest on the occasion. In his address, health minister discussed threadbare prevailing Drug and Healthcare delivery scenario of the state and proposed a number of measures to address the ailing system and committed to bring several radical changes during his tenure for the benefit of the common masses that include setting up of state-of-the-art drug testing laboratories both at Srinagar and Jammu at the cost of Rs. 10 crores each, setting up of govt. nursing colleges at Jammu and Srinagar, promulgation of the new Drug Policy for the state of J&K, framing the Nursing Regulations Act, starting diploma and degree courses in pharmacy at Jammu University and at various polytechnics of the state.
Prof. Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor of the Kashmir University in his presidential address impressed upon the need to conduct socially-relevant research to contribute significantly to the society and also to go for mass awareness of policy makers and planners through such types of seminars. Dr. Nahida Tabassum, Organizing Secretary of the national seminar delivered welcome address whereas Prof. M. Y. Shah, Chairman of the Seminar in his speech discussed at length about the various core issues concerning the healthcare system of the state and emphasized upon the need to upgrade the role of a qualified pharmacist in our society besides need for the state government to strengthen infrastructure and augment staff of drug testing laboratory and to frame Education Regulations as well. He also reiterated upon the Health Minister to frame a robust drug policy for the state of J&K, deploy more manpower from primary to tertiary level hospitals as well as in the Drug Control Department and to ensure regular quality control of drugs, patient counseling by pharmacists and reconstitution of the J&K Pharmacy Council on priority basis.
A good number of delegates from various parts of the country presented their research papers during the technical session of the National Seminar that was chaired by Prof. Shafiqa Aslam, ex-Head, Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, SKIMS, presently working as Professor at M.M. Institute of Medical and Management Sciences, Mullana, Ambala. Best paper prizes were awarded by the panel of evaluators comprising of Prof. S. H. Ansari and Prof. Aslam Qazi in both poster and oral sessions of the seminar.
Valedictory function of the two day national seminar was held on July 16th, 2009. Prof. S. Fayaz, Registrar of the University of Kashmir was Chief Guest at the occasion whereas Mr. Nazir Ah. Pattoo, Chief Pharmacist, SKIMS was the Guest of Honour and Mr. Nazir Ah. Wani, Deputy Drug Controller, Kashmir Division was the special invitee. At the function, Prof S. Fayaz spoke about the progress of Pharmacy profession and the necessity to have qualified pharmacists at their rightful places in the society. Prof. M. Y. Shah, Chairman of the National Seminar gave a detailed account of the various achievements and milestones of the organizing department eversince its establishment in the year 1983 and its future plans. Other guests also presented their views about the theme of the seminar and the contribution of the organizing department in the overall development of the pharmacy profession in the state. In the end Dr. Nahida Tabassum, Organizing Secretary gave a brief summary of the issues discussed during the National Seminar. She also stressed upon the need to have more such seminars and workshops on regular basis in near future with participation from all concerned quarters. Vote of thanks was presented by Mr. Geer M. Ishaq, Joint Organizing Secretary of the seminar in which he acknowledged the role played by various quarters in successful conduct of the seminar.
Outcome of the Seminar deliberations: As an outcome of the deliberations held during the two day National Seminar, a set of recommendations were made regarding the revival, revamping and restructuring of the drug and healthcare delivery system in the state for consideration by various quarters of the state government that include immediate promulgation of a comprehensive State Drug Policy, employment of qualified pharmacists in various allopathic dispensaries, primary health centers, sub-district & district hospitals and all major hospitals of the state in tune with recommendations of the Hathi Committee (1975), initiation of quality control and analysis of drugs at all major hospitals of the state, commencement of diploma level pharmacy course at various polytechnics and opening up of a govt. pharmacy college in the state, reconstitution of the J&K Pharmacy Council with due representation to the academic institutions, framing of Education Regulations by the J&K Pharmacy Council for streamlining the pharmacy education in the state, setting up of regional Pharmacovigilance and Drug Information Center in the valley, upgradation of the pharmaceutical industrial infrastructure and entrepreneurship development, augmentation of the infrastructure, staff and other facilities at the Drug Testing Laboratories and the Drug Control Organization, effective enforcement of the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act and tapping the vast potential of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the state. Copies of recommendations were forwarded to all concerned departments including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the J&K government.
Inaugural function held on July 15th was presided over by Prof. Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir whereas Sh. Shyam Lal Sharma, Minister for Health, Family Welfare, Horticulture and Floriculture was the Chief Guest on the occasion. In his address, health minister discussed threadbare prevailing Drug and Healthcare delivery scenario of the state and proposed a number of measures to address the ailing system and committed to bring several radical changes during his tenure for the benefit of the common masses that include setting up of state-of-the-art drug testing laboratories both at Srinagar and Jammu at the cost of Rs. 10 crores each, setting up of govt. nursing colleges at Jammu and Srinagar, promulgation of the new Drug Policy for the state of J&K, framing the Nursing Regulations Act, starting diploma and degree courses in pharmacy at Jammu University and at various polytechnics of the state.
Prof. Riyaz Punjabi, Vice Chancellor of the Kashmir University in his presidential address impressed upon the need to conduct socially-relevant research to contribute significantly to the society and also to go for mass awareness of policy makers and planners through such types of seminars. Dr. Nahida Tabassum, Organizing Secretary of the national seminar delivered welcome address whereas Prof. M. Y. Shah, Chairman of the Seminar in his speech discussed at length about the various core issues concerning the healthcare system of the state and emphasized upon the need to upgrade the role of a qualified pharmacist in our society besides need for the state government to strengthen infrastructure and augment staff of drug testing laboratory and to frame Education Regulations as well. He also reiterated upon the Health Minister to frame a robust drug policy for the state of J&K, deploy more manpower from primary to tertiary level hospitals as well as in the Drug Control Department and to ensure regular quality control of drugs, patient counseling by pharmacists and reconstitution of the J&K Pharmacy Council on priority basis.
A good number of delegates from various parts of the country presented their research papers during the technical session of the National Seminar that was chaired by Prof. Shafiqa Aslam, ex-Head, Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, SKIMS, presently working as Professor at M.M. Institute of Medical and Management Sciences, Mullana, Ambala. Best paper prizes were awarded by the panel of evaluators comprising of Prof. S. H. Ansari and Prof. Aslam Qazi in both poster and oral sessions of the seminar.
Valedictory function of the two day national seminar was held on July 16th, 2009. Prof. S. Fayaz, Registrar of the University of Kashmir was Chief Guest at the occasion whereas Mr. Nazir Ah. Pattoo, Chief Pharmacist, SKIMS was the Guest of Honour and Mr. Nazir Ah. Wani, Deputy Drug Controller, Kashmir Division was the special invitee. At the function, Prof S. Fayaz spoke about the progress of Pharmacy profession and the necessity to have qualified pharmacists at their rightful places in the society. Prof. M. Y. Shah, Chairman of the National Seminar gave a detailed account of the various achievements and milestones of the organizing department eversince its establishment in the year 1983 and its future plans. Other guests also presented their views about the theme of the seminar and the contribution of the organizing department in the overall development of the pharmacy profession in the state. In the end Dr. Nahida Tabassum, Organizing Secretary gave a brief summary of the issues discussed during the National Seminar. She also stressed upon the need to have more such seminars and workshops on regular basis in near future with participation from all concerned quarters. Vote of thanks was presented by Mr. Geer M. Ishaq, Joint Organizing Secretary of the seminar in which he acknowledged the role played by various quarters in successful conduct of the seminar.
Outcome of the Seminar deliberations: As an outcome of the deliberations held during the two day National Seminar, a set of recommendations were made regarding the revival, revamping and restructuring of the drug and healthcare delivery system in the state for consideration by various quarters of the state government that include immediate promulgation of a comprehensive State Drug Policy, employment of qualified pharmacists in various allopathic dispensaries, primary health centers, sub-district & district hospitals and all major hospitals of the state in tune with recommendations of the Hathi Committee (1975), initiation of quality control and analysis of drugs at all major hospitals of the state, commencement of diploma level pharmacy course at various polytechnics and opening up of a govt. pharmacy college in the state, reconstitution of the J&K Pharmacy Council with due representation to the academic institutions, framing of Education Regulations by the J&K Pharmacy Council for streamlining the pharmacy education in the state, setting up of regional Pharmacovigilance and Drug Information Center in the valley, upgradation of the pharmaceutical industrial infrastructure and entrepreneurship development, augmentation of the infrastructure, staff and other facilities at the Drug Testing Laboratories and the Drug Control Organization, effective enforcement of the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act and tapping the vast potential of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the state. Copies of recommendations were forwarded to all concerned departments including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the J&K government.
