Pharmacists have role beyond commerce in protecting public health: Haryana minster

Haryana Health minister Arti Singh Rao on Sunday urged pharmacists and medicine sellers to uphold their social responsibilities, saying their role extended beyond commerce to public health and social service.

She was speaking at a state-level awareness programme on drug safety and de-addiction, organised jointly by the Gurugram Chemists and Druggists Association and the Haryana Drug Dealers Association under the theme ‘Safe Medicines, Drug-free Society’.

According to an official statement, Rao said the Centre and the Haryana government were committed to making the country and the state drug-free.

Drug addiction not only jeopardises the future of young people but also affects entire families, she said, adding that combating the menace was not solely the responsibility of the police and the government, and every section of society had a role to play.

Rao called upon pharmacists to take three pledges: not to sell medicines in violation of regulations, to display posters and other informational material at their establishments to raise awareness about substance abuse and the safe use of medicines, and to spread the message of de-addiction among as many people as possible.

Addressing the event, Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma said the growing trend of substance abuse was a matter of serious concern and called for collective efforts to keep people, particularly the youth, away from drugs.

Rao interacts with youth in Manesar

Later, Rao attended a ‘Yuva Samvad’ (Youth Dialogue) programme at an auditorium in IMT Manesar, where she interacted with young people and local residents.

She said her priority was to remain accessible to the public, understand their problems and ensure their resolution.

Canal water supply for Manesar villages

The approval for supplying 15 million litres per day (MLD) of canal water through the GMDA’s master line was a significant step for the Manesar region, she said.

The supply would provide drinking water to villages including Bas Kushla, Bas Hariya, Dhana, Kasan and Khoh, and reduce their dependence on groundwater, Rao said.