J&K Health and Medical Education department has cleared starting ISM (AYUSH) pharmacist training course in the GNM, AMT and ANMT schools of all districts of J&K.
The intake capacity of 20 students each has been sanctioned for government AMT School Jammu and Srinagar besides 10 students each for GNM, AMT and ANMT schools in all other districts, in view of the shortage of qualified AYUSH paramedical staff in J&K.
A statement said the starting of the training course was planned by Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education. On his instructions, a comprehensive proposal was submitted by Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine to the J&K Para Medical Council for initiating the process of starting AYUSH pharmacist training course in GNM, AMT and ANMT schools of J&K on the prescribed format issued by the council, requesting therein that 10 seats each be allotted in all district ANMTs and 20 seats each at AMT School, GMC Jammu and AMT School, GMC Srinagar.
The AYUSH units functioning in district hospitals have been associated with concerned AMT, ANMTs and GNMs of districts and government Ayurvedic hospital Jammu and government Unani Hospital Shalteng, Srinagar with concerned AMTs of GMC Jammu and Srinagar for training purpose in AYUSH subjects.
Regarding the training in the subjects concerned with modern system of medicine the same will be taken by respective GNMs, AMTs and ANMTs and its associated hospitals.
Dr Mohan Singh, Director Indian Systems of Medicine, J&K while thanking Financial Commissioner Dulloo for sanctioning the course informed that the AYUSH teaching faculty for these courses has already been identified in every district and the same has been furnished to council.
He said the government training facility for AYUSH pharmacist training course was a long pending demand of people of J&K as there was no such facility in government sector.
He said demand of AYUSH treatment was increasing magnanimously and infrastructure of AYUSH systems was being upgraded regularly in J&K with 50-bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospitals being established in all districts in J&K at secondary level. At present four 50-bedded Integrated AYUSH hospitals are being established at Kupwara, Kulgam, Kishtwar and Kathua while three more at Bandipora, Kulgam and Samba are in pipeline. Moreover, at tertiary level two hospitals government Ayurvedic Hospital Jammu and government Unani Hospital Shalteng have been upgraded recently and two associated hospitals of government Ayurvedic Medical College Jammu and government Unani Medical College, Kashmir are being made operational.