Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says people need to be discouraged from prescribing for themselves.

Dr Waqainabete says self-prescribing is not only limited to non-health workers.

He adds the doctors cannot prescribe themselves which will ensure that one has access to independent, objective medical care.

“You know we must not get into the habit of fronting up to a pharmacy and say I take this antibiotic or I take that Panadol. If there are any pharmacist that do that and dispense without a prescription then it’s illegal.”

The Fiji Pharmaceutical Society has welcomed the comments made by the Health Minister.

President Reenal Chand says self-medicating and availability of medicines go hand in hand.

He adds often there is a poor understanding of how medicines are made available to the public.