CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Government Thursday issued instructions to State Pharmacy Council (SPC) to make it mandatory to appoint qualified Ayurvedic dispensers (Up-vaids) in every Pharmacy/Chemists shop dispensing Ayurvedic medicines.

Disclosing this here Thursday an official spokesman said that it had come to the notice of government that chemists due to absence of qualified Ayurvedic dispensers in their shops were not able to identify and dispense correct medicines to the patients.

The spokesman said that this step has been taken by the government in the larger interests of patients and also to generate employment opportunities for Ayurvedic dispensers. It may be added that state government was training more than 500 Ayurvedic dispensers every year.