Fiji Pharmaceutical Society’s President Reshnika Sen says they’re working with the Health Ministry to address the issue of out of stock medicine which has been listed under the free medicine scheme.

Sen says pharmacists used to give out medicine given to them by the Government Pharmacy and when stocks ran out, recipients under the scheme were not given medicine.

She says this will change by next year when pharmacies will start giving out medicine from their stocks and send the bills to the government.

“What we are trying to do is get the free medicine scheme properly ironed out. All the glitches that it might have at the moment. So we can sort those out hopefully by February or end of January, so we can run the proper program. The main issue surrounding free medicine now will then be billed to the Government.”

This partnership between the government and 72 pharmacies around the country was announced in the 2018/2019 budget.

Sen says with the introduction of the new initiative under the scheme, Fijians will not be disappointed especially the elderly.