A special audit will also be carried out to look for irregularities, and, in accordance with the law, action will be taken against the guilty council members and officials based on the findings of the special audit.
The Odisha Pharmacy Council (OPC) has been disbanded by the state government in response to claims of financial mismanagement and poor leadership. OPC members are not permitted to attend any council meetings.
After conducting an investigation, the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) recommended that the council be dissolved and new elections be held. He had looked into inconsistencies, the causes of the registration certificates’ pending, the council’s poor management, and the purposeful holding up of the registration process for applicants from various sections of the state.
The state government has agreed to quickly designate five members to restore the council to function after it was dissolved. Three of the five members must have a minimum M Pharm degree. In addition to this, the state medical council member and three ex-officio members will be proposed for the pharmacy council. A special audit will also be carried out to look for irregularities, and based on the report of the special audit, legal action will be taken against the guilty officials and council members.
According to a senior health department official, the current registration process will be as soon as possible separated from drug control administration, and the council will have access to foolproof registration software and an online payment system for the registration and renewal of pharmacy pass students.
In conjunction with the officers of DMET and directorate of health services, the registrar-cum-secretary of the council will form a group with the specialists from OCAC or NIC to create an updated software system for registration and renewals, he added.
Prasanta Patnaik