Under India’s Foreign Policy of Ministry of External Affairs, GOI,National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, S.A.S. Nagar (NIPER, SAS Nagar, the institute of National Importance & NIRF Rank 1 institute under Pharmacy Category) has been chosen by Ministry of External Affairs, GOI, to conduct ITEC programmes in the field of Pharmaceuticals. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme was instituted by a decision of the Indian Cabinet on 15 September 1964 as a bilateral programme of assistance of the Government of India.The Development Partnership Administration (DPA)-III was set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in January 2012. The ITEC Programme is fully funded by the Government of India, has evolved and grown over the years. Under ITEC India has economic cooperation with 162 countries in Asia, Africa, East Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean as well as Pacific and Small Island countries are invited to share in the Indian developmental experience.NIPER-SAS Nagar is conducting such training since last 20 years. NIPER-SAS Nagar organized a two-week Intensive Training Program on Advanced Analytical Techniques: Basic Principles and Application for Quality Assessment of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals from 22nd October to 1st November, 2018. Total 23 participants from 15 countries (Afghanistan, Algeria, Botswana, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritius, Malawi, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Tanzania) with background of Drug Regulatory, Pharmacist and Quality Control attended this course. Resource persons from the pharmaceutical industry, academia and regulatory agencies delivered lectures and participated in the deliberations. About 6 sessions were held on hands on experience training on different analytical instruments.
Visit to National Agrifood Biotechnology Institute (NABI) and 02 Industry visits to DSM, Toansa, Roopnagar and Beta Drugs Ltd., Baddi are also a part of this ITEC program. Prof Sanjay Jachak welcomed the guests and the participants to the valedictory session of the course.Prof Sanjay Jachak, Course Coordinator, gave a detailed report of the course and urged the participants to become trainers for their colleagues as they have attended this course and have graduated from trainees to trainers.Some of the participants expressed their views about the course. One of the participants, Mr. Hashmatullah Sadat, who holds the post of Director, Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Inspection Technical Adviser, National Medicine Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (NMHRA) in Afghanistan, appreciated NIPER for organizing such a successful and fruitful course. He expressed that exchange of culture between India and 15 participating countries was the highlight of this course. He further suggested that the courses should include the visit to various regulatory bodies and organizations would certainly give the participants the exposure to the regulatory environment in India.Mrs. Dhakshila Priyadharshani, Lecturer, Dept. Of pharmacy, faculty of allied health sciences in Sri Lanka thanked all the organisers for the conducting such a fruitful program. Dr. Youssef Alahmad, Teacher and researcher, Albaath university at Syria while appreciating NIPER for the course said that he would like to collaborate with NIPER and would like to send his colleagues to share the knowledge with NIPER.
Dr. Bachir Alouache, Specialist pharmacist, National agency of pharmaceutical products at Algeria, thanked NIPER for enhancing the knowledge and expertise through the training course in the field of Advanced Analytical Techniques which will surely be helpful in their careers. Ms. Kefilwe Mothabane, Pharmacist, Ministry of health and wellness at Boswana said that she would like to send some of her colleagues to NIPER to attend such future courses at NIPER.Guest of Honour of the function, Mr Sushant Shrama, Assistant Drug Controller (India), said that being in Pharmacy professional, it is dream of every pharmacist to be associated with NIPER. He further said that through such ITEC training programs trainees get this opportunity. He said that regulation in India is expanding so much that India has been recognised by WHO two times for achieving the maturity level 4 in regulation parameters. He further mentioned that before the course some of the participants were of the opinion that India is not making such quality drugs but after attending this course and visiting some of the pharma units, they have entirely changed their perception about Indian drug manufacturing capability. He urged the participants to request the Governments in their countries to sign MoU for sharing of knowledge between the countries. Chief Guest of the function, Dr S J S Flora, Director, NIPER congratulated Prof Sanjay Jachak, Course coordinator, for arranging and ministry of External Affairs for sponsoring such a wonderful course. He further said that it is not only the exchange of knowledge which such course offer but also the exchange of culture between the countries.After this the dignitaries gave the certificates to the participants. In the end, Prof Jachak presented a vote of thanks.