About 63,000 people are benefiting from the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme that has been extended to 129 drug centres across the island, Health Minister Joseph Cassar said.

The scheme, launched in 2007, allows patients entitled to free medicines to pick them up from a pharmacy of their choice.

Dr Cassar added that the scheme would be extended to practically all of Malta’s 208 pharmacies by the end of next year.

Only about two pharmacies had not signed up because of space restrictions to keep the free medicines.

He said the government had offered 1,329 different free medicines through the scheme. This presented a challenge to pharmacies having to cope with an added influx of clients and they had to create a new set up for the free medicines.

The new localities recently included in the scheme are Fgura, Paola, Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea and Kalkara. Other localities will be announced soon.

Dr Cassar stressed that the government was committed to ensuring that free medicines were always in stock.

It was also in the process of amending the law that lists the medical conditions for which patients are entitled to free medicines.