Imphal, November 17: The health and Family Welfare Minister L Nandakumar inaugurated the National Pharmacy Week on the theme �Role of Pharmacists in national Health Programme� at GM Hall today.

The opening ceremony of the weeklong observation being organised by Manipur Pharmacists Association was presided by the Association president Ch Bor Singh while MLA Dr M Nara and additional director of State Health Services Th Suresh Singh graced the occasion as guests of honour.

Highlighting inevitable role of pharmacists in promoting and preserving a healthy society, the Health Minister said responsibility of pharmacist do not end with the stocking and sale of pharmaceutical items but changing trend requires immediate attention of the pharmacists towards identifying plants and shrubs having curative potential and endeavour to extract medicines from them.

Accepting the fact that pharmacists today plays a vital role as service enhancers of doctors and nurses, L Nandakumar opined that needy people in rural and remote areas are faced with health complication as there is neither medical personnel available in such places nor are services of pharmacists available when required.

Like there is urgent necessity for increasing number of doctors and nurses to cater to the ever growing population, medical personnel including pharmacists should have the undying spirit of extending their services to rural and far flung places, said the Minister.

In his address as the guest of honour, Dr M Nara lamented that pharmacists normally consider their service and responsibility in light vein which had undeniably led to youngsters becoming habitual drug abusers.

If pharmacist possess the discipline and understand their responsibilities owed to the society youths who do not have requisite documents could be categorically denied access to medicines meant for abuse, he observed.

In connection with the observation, the second RK Ibotonsana Best Pharmacist award was presented to one RK Basumani.

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