46,500 patients in pharmacy-of-your-choice scheme

Some €7.2 million in free medicines were distributed through 98 pharmacies taking in the Pharmacy Of Your Choice scheme last year,Health Minister Joe Cassar said. From only 3,206 patients registered in the first month that the scheme was introduced in...

Some €7.2 million in free medicines were distributed through 98 pharmacies taking in the Pharmacy Of Your Choice scheme last year,Health Minister Joe Cassar said.

From only 3,206 patients registered in the first month that the scheme was introduced in December 2007, the figure mushroomed to 46,565 last year. The numbers are increasing daily, the minister said, with already 54,400 registered until May this year.

The number of localities where the Pharmacy Of Your Choice Scheme is provided has also increased, with Birkirkara and Santa Venera together adding another 15 pharmacies to clock up a total of 113.

The plan is for the POYC system to spread all over Malta and Gozo by next year.

Touching on the issue of medicines shortage, Dr Cassar said this was not a conse-quence of this scheme but rather because of an “old-fashioned system” for buying medicines.

“This problem is being add­ressed,” he said.

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