Piramal Enterprises’ Consumer Products business has partnered with the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), to promote responsible self-care to over 5,000 chemists in India, starting in the Eastern region. In line with Piramal Group’s values of Knowledge, Action, Care and Impact, the initiative has been undertaken to provide educational information and spread awareness to pharmacists and the public on responsible self-care. IPA is the national professional body of pharmacists engaged in various facets of pharmacy.
Piramal Enterprises is committed to promoting the highest professional and ethical standards in pharmacies. The focus of the partnership is to establish pharmacists as competent healthcare professionals. As part of the activity, Piramal Enterprises and IPA jointly will organize Chemist Awareness Programmes (CAP) in different locations across India. This programme will focus on ‘responsible self-care’, and chemists will be certified by IPA based on their performance. Through this partnership, both Piramal Enterprises and IPA will host an array of speaker series where professionals from the industry will discuss on various aspects of self-care.
Self–medication is a common practice in India. Through this programme, Piramal Enterprises will work towards increasing awareness on the adverse side-effects of self-medication. This partnership will equip pharmacists’ to distinguish between ailments that require the doctor’s attention and need treatment with prescription medicines, versus minor ailments that can be treated with over the counter solutions.
Kedar Rajadnye, Chief Operating Officer - Consumer Products, Piramal Enterprises said, “At Piramal, our objective is to empower consumers to treat their needs causes that can disrupt their daily routines, at their convenience. The first step towards achieving this is by educating chemists on responsible self-care. In India, consumers are unware of the side effects of self-medication and depend on chemists for advice. This association with the IPA, is a testament to Piramal Enterprises’ vision of educating consumers with dedicated and legitimate information on responsible self-care.”
Manjiri Gharat, Vice-President and Chairperson, Community Pharmacy Division of Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) said, “We are delighted and privileged to be associated with Piramal Enterprises, since the collaboration plans to work towards educating consumers on the right aspects of self–medication by training of community pharmacists who are the first point of contact for the consumers/patients. This activity will highlight pharmacists as a source for primary care. They can advise, and increase awareness on the correct use of medications, based on their knowledge of medicine, and their effect on the body.”
