Association Activities

The first General Body meeting of the association was convened on 22/02/2021. At the outset Sri.Jayan P.M, General Secretary, IPGA Kerala State Branch welcomed the guests of the General Body Meeting, Dr.Atul Kumar Nasa (National President, IPGA), Dr.Arun Garg (National General Secretary, IPGA), Sri.Koteshwar Rao (President, Telangana State Branch), Sanju Dhawan (Women Coordinator,South India)and all other distinguished IPGA memberswho had joined in the virtual platform. Dr.Satheesh Kumar C.S expressed profound thanks and gratitude to the IPGA National leaders for their continued support. He said in the meeting that the State Branch will conduct webinars, job fair etc. in future for the benefit of pharmacy professionals, student community etc. He also added that the future events will be conducted by joining hands with other pharmacy associations like KPGA, IPGA, KSDCEOA etc. Dr.Nishith M.C, Executive member of IPGA Kerala Branch was invited to handle the session of self introduction. Dr.Nishith MC said in the meeting that the members in State Branch are from various fields such as Academics, Industry, Regulatory, Trading, businesses etc. and invited all the participants individually for self introduction. Dr.Atul Kumar Nasa, National President, IPGA was invited for addressing the gathering. He expressed his happiness on the smooth going of IPGA Kerala Branch.He suggested, conductingof webinars on recent amendments such as Cosmetics Rules, 2020 and other related topics likeMedical devices regulations for the benefits of pharma professionals. He congratulated the executive committee of IPGA Kerala Branch for the formation of Women Forum and its coordinators as well. He asserted that any issue related to the profession shall be communicated to Central Committee so that the matter will be taken by the Associationto resolve the issue. He reiterated that membership drive shall be conducted in the State and each member should take initiation to encourage others also to take IPGA membership. He reminded the gathering, the importance of IPGA Welfare Trust and requested the committee to inform the Central Committee on any type of financial assistance for poor and needy students for supporting their education. He also informed to spread this message among student community. IPGA Central Committee do constantly support and extend all helps to the State Branch, whenever needed and ready to sponsor any events, if informed in advance. He congratulated all executive members of IPGA Kerala branch for their wonderful jobs for making the Association very active. Dr.Arun Garg, National General Secretary of IPGA was also called upon for addressing the gathering. He also congratulated the team members of IPGA Kerala State Branch for their enthusiasm and spirit to keep the State Association very active. He requested the State Committee to form an IPGA student Forum also in the State very soon as they have innovative ideas and involved in many social service activities across the country. He extended all the support of IPGA to the State Branch. He sought the help of State Associations to find out the contact details of old IPGA members as their contact details do not exist now. Mr.Koteshwar Rao, President, IPGA Telangana State was invited to address the gathering. He said that the pharmacist community across the country has done an excellent service during Covid 19 pandemic, but unfortunately the service rendered by them were not recognized well. They were not even included in the list of Covid warriors. He emphasized the importance of Associations like IPGA to unite all professionals for representing the issue before the Authorities concerned. He suggested that IPGA membership campaign should be widened with a strategy by enrolling the principals of various colleges first, then faculty members and finally students. He also suggested enrolling more members from Drugs Control Department including Laboratory staffs. He informed that important news with respect to various activities of Drugs Control Department and pharma related job vacancies may be posted regularly in IPGA Kerala group to make it lively. All events should be forwarded to IPGA today for publication. He assured that any financial assistance will be offered for any activities conducted by State Branch. Smt.Sanju Dhawan was also invited to address the gathering. He shared the happiness that maximum members are from Kerala only among South Indian States. He presented the mission as well as vision of IPGA Women Forum. In her presentation, she described the organogram of women wing and requested the members to enroll maximum members in IPGA Women Forum. Later, the meeting entered to the next session of discussion on various activities to be planned for the current year.

IPGA-Kerala State Branch organized a webinar on 16th March 2021, in connection with National Vaccination Day, 2021. The programme was inaugurated by Mr.John K.J, Drugs Controller, Kerala State. Sri.Jayan PM IPGA-Kerala State Branch welcomed the gathering and Dr.C.SSatheeshkumar, President, IPGA-Kerala State Branch presided the function. The scientific session was handled by Dr.Sreekumar Eswaran, Senior Scientist, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and Molecular Virology Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram. The topic of webinar was “COVID 19-‘SPIKE’ IN VIROLOGY”. People from different continents were joined the webinar. The webinar concluded with vote of thanks, proposed by Dr.Gini EJ, Executive Member, IPGA Kerala State Branch.

IPGA-Kerala State Branch in association with Kerala State Drugs Control Enforcement Officers Association (KSDCEOA) organized a webinar on 12thJune, 2021. The programme was inaugurated by Mr.John K.J, Drugs Controller, Kerala State. Sri.Jayan PM IPGA-Kerala State Branch welcomed the gathering and Dr.C.SSatheeshkumar, President, IPGA-Kerala State Branch presided the function. Mr.Koteshwar Rao (Coordinator, IPGA South India), Mr.Jayan Philip (Vice President, All India Drugs Control Officers Confederation), Mr.MathewKokad (Managing Director, Kokad Pharma Ltd.) and Mr. Abdul Nazeer (General Secretary, Kerala Pharmacy Graduates Association) were felicitated in the function. The webinar session was handled by Mr.Manmohan Taneja, Assistant State Drugs Controller, Government of Haryana.The topic of webinar was “COSMETICS RULES, 2020”. Mr. Shaji M Varghese, President, Kerala State Drugs Control enforcement Officers Association was the moderator of the seminar. The programme was very lively and many pharmacy professionals including senior officers from Drugs Control Department from various states were joined the webinar. The webinar concluded with vote of thanks, proposed by Dr.LimceeThampi, Executive Member, IPGA Kerala State Branch.

Organized an International Webinar on “Fighting Pandemic-Pharmacist in the frontline”. Dr.C.I.Sajeeth welcomed the gathering. Dr.Atul Kr Nasa (Nationaln President) inaugurated the webinar. The topic for the first session was : Role of Pharmacists in developing versatile anti-pandemic vaccine. The session was handled by Dr. Anish Chakkumkal, Principal Scientist and Team Lead, Janssennnn Vaccines, Netherlands. The session was moderated by Mr.Renjsih C, Vice President, IPGA Kerala State Branch. The topic of the second sessin was “Pharmacist role in vaccination-Lessons from Covid -19 pandemic. The session was handled 6 by Prof. Oluwatoyin A Odeku FAS, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and the session was moderated by Dr. LimceeThampi, Life Member, IPGA. Vote of thanks proposed by Dr.Gini. E.J. E-certificates were also issued to the participants.

Organized a webinar on “Snake Envenoming: The most neglected Tropical Disease” in association with IPA-Kerala State Branch and Kerala Pharmacy Graduates Association (KPGA). The speaker of the session was Dr.Dileepkumar R (Director and CEO, Indriyam Biologicals Pvt. Ltd., Thiruvananthapuram). E-certificates were also issued to the participants.