Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has restructured the pharmacy cadre after a 39-year wait and approved 1,108 new pharmacy officer posts, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling said on Sunday.
The Minister said a job chart defining the duties and responsibilities of pharmacists has also been prepared as part of the cadre restructuring, which he described as a significant step for the pharmacy community.
Mahaling made the announcement while attending the general council meeting and annual state conference organised by the Odisha Pharmacy Officers’ Service Association at Rama Devi Women’s University here.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said restructuring of the pharmacy cadre had been a long-standing demand of pharmacists in the state.
“Restructuring of the pharmacy cadre has been a demand for the past 39 years. To fulfil this demand, our government has restructured the pharmacy cadre. A job chart has also been prepared to clearly define the duties and responsibilities of pharmacists. This is a historic step for the pharmacist community,” he said.
The Minister said the state government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has been taking steps to strengthen human resources in the health sector and define the roles, responsibilities and rights of different categories of healthcare workers.
He said the restructuring of the pharmacy cadre was an important step towards strengthening the state’s healthcare system.
The government has also approved the appointment of 1,108 new pharmacy officers, Mahaling said, adding that the posts would be filled at the earliest.
The Minister further said the government had considered the association’s demand for implementation of the Pharmacists Council of India Recruitment and Promotion Service Rules, 2025, which have been implemented in 20 states.
He said detailed guidelines had been provided regarding the duties and responsibilities of pharmacy officers to ensure greater clarity in their roles.
Pharmacists play an important role in the healthcare system by dispensing medicines to patients, ensuring their safe use and providing medication-related advice, Mahaling said.
Strengthening pharmacy services would consequently help improve the overall healthcare delivery system in the state, he added.
The restructuring of the cadre and preparation of job charts are also expected to provide greater clarity on the responsibilities of pharmacists and create opportunities for their professional development and career progression.
The Odisha Pharmacy Officers’ Service Association expressed gratitude to the state government and the Health and Family Welfare Minister for restructuring the pharmacy cadre, preparing the job charts and approving 1,108 new pharmacy officer posts.
