Pharmacy body urges govt to reconsider licence cancellations

Citing severe shortage of qualified personnel and inadequate pharmaceutical infrastructure in the state, the All Nagaland Pharmacy Association (ANPA) has appealed to the state government to reconsider its policy mandating the appointment of registered pharmacists in all pharmacies.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, ANPA general secretary Limayanger Jamir informed that the association was formed on March 13, 2025 to address the challenges faced by pharmacies following the health department’s directive enforcing the presence of registered pharmacists in every pharmacy.
Jamir pointed out that Nagaland was the only state in India without a pharmacy institute, resulting in a chronic shortage of qualified pharmacists.
As per department data from February 2025, he said there were 1,157 pharmacies across the state, but only 278 registered pharmacists—a ratio he described as “quite disproportionate.”
He said that strict enforcement of the policy without flexibility could throw the state’s public healthcare system into disarray. Even Kohima, the state capital, would be impacted, he said, adding that colonies like A.G, Merhülietsa, and Lerie could be left without a single functioning pharmacy.
Further, Jamir highlighted the plight of rural and sub-divisional areas such as Meluri, which has six pharmacies but no registered pharmacist, Shamator with four pharmacies, and Phek with 34 pharmacies, of which only two have in-service pharmacists.
Owing to the scarcity of qualified professionals, he said most pharmacies have been unable to recruit registered pharmacists. He called upon the government to engage with stakeholders to work out a practical transition plan.
ANPA emphasized that licence cancellations under current conditions would have a severe ripple effect on public access to essential medicines.
According to ANPA, Nagaland was the first state in India attempting to implement the pharmacist appointment rule in full. However, it said the state has only five annual study seats allocated for pharmacy courses outside Nagaland. The association said the Nagaland urgently needed its own pharmacy institutes offering diploma and degree courses to build local capacity.
Pharmacy licence s, traditionally been issued by the health department, provided names and registration numbers of pharmacists to licence es with renewals done every five years, ANPA said, adding this practice continued until early 2024.
However, it said the department began enforcing the requirement for in-premise registered pharmacists from late 2021, leading to the formation of district-level pharmacy unions and the eventual creation of the state-level ANPA.
ANPA stated that many licence holders were unaware of the legal implications when their licence s were issued, adding that most relied on experience with medical professionals rather than formal qualifications.
ANPA said it had submitted a representation to the principal director and the controlling and licensing authority requesting a reasonable extension of time for compliance, but received no positive response. Further, representations were submitted to the commissioner and secretary H&FW and the chief minister, but received no response till date.
The association said it had also sought meetings with the health minister and the chief secretary.
Highlighting the role played by pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic, when state healthcare systems were overwhelmed, the association questioned the inconsistency in standards. It pointed out that in government-run health units, nurses with only three months of training were authorised to dispense medicines due to a shortage of pharmacists. ANPA asked whether a similar approach could not be adopted for private pharmacies until the state develops the necessary manpower.
ANPA president Zhapuvilie Yashü informed that the association had filed RTI applications with the department on May 1 to seek clarification on several issues, but received no reply.
He alleged that a department official had verbally stated that pharmacists from outside Nagaland, even those with No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from their respective state councils, were being denied recognition.
While pharmacy is an ethical and regulated profession, Yashü said the abrupt cancellation of licences had disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of families. He clarified that the association did not oppose the government policy but believed that Nagaland lacked the infrastructure to enforce it effectively.
ANPA expressed hope that the government would adopt a workable solution to allow pharmacies to operate until the state could produce sufficient qualified manpower through its own institutions.
The association affirmed its members were committed to employing qualified pharmacists as and when they become available. It, therefore, urged the government to formulate a health policy aligned with Nagaland’s realities.
Further, APNA appealed to the health department and the state government to halt immediate licence cancellations and allow pharmacies to function until a comprehensive and practical health policy was put in place.