IPA Kerala and IDMA to conduct training programme for pharmacy graduates

The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) Kerala state branch, jointly with the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry state Board) is organising a virtual training programme on ‘Orientation to Pharma Industry’ for the benefit of pharmacy graduates aspiring to take up a career in pharmaceutical industry. The formal inauguration for the same is on 28^th November, 2021, associating professionals from pharma industry and academic institutions.

The IPA, Kerala State Branch, has recognised the need for such industry orientation for the B Pharm graduates/M Pharm post graduates and decided to offer, for the first time, such an elaborate training programme on 12 modules covering various intricacies of process industry to motivate and empower the young pharmacy graduates. The course offers an opportunity for the graduates to gain familiarity with diverse conceptual and practical aspects of the industry. The training course would consist of a series of well-conceived webinars by industrial experts from India and abroad, on various facets of the pharma industry starting form 4^th December, 2021.

Due to paucity of pharma industry in Kerala, the graduates are not getting adequate industrial training and placements in pharmaceutical sector. This would create a dearth of qualified manpower for the pharmaceutical industry. After this training, the participants will be able to opt an area of interest and choose a challenging career in the industry.

Kerala having three per cent of Indian population consumes 10 per cent of medicines manufactured in India, but, unfortunately, the state is producing less that two per cent of the medicines’ need. Though, about 20 firms are licensed to manufacture modern medicines, less than 10 companies are operational. The serious concern is about the backwardness of the pharma industry in Kerala.

The pharma industry is flourishing in other states, but not in Kerala due to various reasons which could be addressed by government and other stakeholders. Kerala had about 120 small and medium-scale pharma industries in 1980s  and now only a few are viable firms. The state-owned Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceutical Alappuzha has stated functioning profitably due to timely support and directives of the government. The government can amend the policies of procurement of medicines whereby local manufacturers get preference in the procurement for government supplies.

The growth of pharma industry in Kerala is the need of the hour and government could intervene to bring changes by analysing the root cause of issues and addressing remedial steps. There are around 3000 B.Pharm graduates and 500 pharmacy PGs pass out every year from around 50 pharmacy colleges in the state. These professional qualified pharmacy graduates with adequate knowledge in pharmaceutical manufacturing and quality control are not getting into career opportunity due to paucity of pharma industry in Kerala and face tough competition in the neighbouring states.

A pharma park can be set up on public-private partnership to manufacture essential medicines (including large volume parenteral products) and medical devices similar to the proposed vaccine manufacturing firm in Biopark, Thiruvananthapuram. Most of the other states are having pharma park or pharmacity to manufacture fine chemicals (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients), pharmaceutical formulations, medical devices, ancillary products units, etc. so that most of the logistics are made available under one umbrella.

This initiative of IPA gives an ideal opportunity for the graduates to gain familiarity with diverse conceptual and practical aspects of the industry. The training would provide a confidence in the graduates to choose a career in pharms industry — production, R&D, quality control, marketing, regulatory affairs, etc.

Due to the paucity of the pharma industry in the state, the graduates are not getting adequate industrial exposure/training and placements in pharmaceutical sector. The training course would consist of a series of well-conceived webinars and virtual demonstration of the techniques by industrial experts from India and abroad.

The enrolment is limited to 60 candidates. Those who are interested can write to: [email protected] for registration, the last date for which is 20^th November, 2021.