The Chamber of Pharmacists and the GRTU's healthcare section said today that they had never claimed that there was political discrimination in the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) system.
In a statement issued jointly with the Ministry of Health after a meeting between all three, the Chamber of Pharmacists and GRTU said they had been assured that the POYC was not being subjected to political discrimination in its operations.
The statement was issued in reaction to PN claims of political distribution in the distribution of medicines, including distribution of medicines from political party clubs.
The Health ministry, the Chamber and the GRTU said they had held a productive meeting.
"The Chamber and the GRTU have surveyed their members and recognize that the inefficiencies of the procurement and POYC processes are triggering consumers to complain to POYC when specific medicines are not available at pharmacies. POYC from their end often seek to address such shortages at pharmacies. All parties recognize the need to improve the system without requiring customers to complain about such matters," their joint statement read.
"All parties recognize that the POYC business processes and systems require significant improvements and will collaborate in the design and implementation of such improvements. These problems have been with the initiative for many years and need to be addressed urgently".
They said that the government is committed to restructure POYC, improve business processes and communications with Pharmacies, and enhance IT systems. It will seek to improve all aspects related to the procurement, distribution and dispensing of medicines.
In March pharmacists had been quoted saying that health officials were giving individual patients preferential treatment.
Pharmacists complained that patients were bypassing the POYC system and lobbying officials at Mater Dei Hospital and at the ministry for out-of-stock medicine falling within the scheme.
The situation, pharmacists said, had not only resulted in certain patients being given preferential treatment over others but it had also caused a number of pharmacists to complain of aggressive and abusive patients.
Chamber president Mary Ann Sant Fournier had urged pharmacists to continue dispensing medication without discrimination.
“All pharmacists are to report any instances of preferential supply of medication to named patients and to continue dispensing on a first-come-first-served basis,” she said.