Plea to bring medical assts under Central Act

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 17

The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Syed Altaf Bukhari today urged the Union government to safeguard the careers of over 20,000 medical assistants of the Union Territory (UT) by bringing them under the ambit of the Central Pharmacy Act.

In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the medical assistants also fulfilled the eligibility criteria for availing a pharmacy licence or applying for any government job exclusively meant for diploma or degree holders in pharmacy.

“Around 20,000 medical assistants in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are well trained in pharmacy who were eligible for pharmacy licences under the JK Pharmacy Act prior to August 4, 2019, but have now unfortunately been excluded by the Pharmacy Council of India. This is sheer discrimination against medical assistants, who have completed their three-year courses (including one year of training) recognised under the JK Pharmacy Act. The issue needs to be addressed on a priority basis,” Bukhari said.

He expressed concern over reports that despite being ineligible for pharmacy licences and government jobs as per the Central Pharmacy Act, the government colleges in J&K were granting admission to students for medical assistant courses.

He urged the Union Health Ministry to consider medical assistants eligible for the issuance of pharmacy licences and ensure lateral entry for those medical assistants who wanted to pursue their higher studies in pharmacy.