The Ministry of Health is advising members of the public that the Barbados Drug Service (BDS) will be conducting a Level II Survey of the Pharmaceutical Situation in Barbados, from Saturday, July 17 to August 26.

It is part of the World Health Organisation/European Union African Caribbean ??Project (WHO/EU/ACP) Partnership on Pharmaceutical Policies, and will be carried out with assistance from Harvard University.??

According to the Director of the BDS, Maryam Hinds, the survey "is one of the tools that WHO has developed to assess country pharmaceutical situations" and the objective "is to evaluate and monitor access and use of medicines in the community so that we can get a clear indication of the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical services to Barbadians".

She added: "Within the survey there will be specific questions relevant to certain illnesses that will assist the Ministry of Health to evaluate these conditions and develop policies to address the needs of people living with them."??????

Information will be collected from all Government polyclinics and health institutions, along with 30 private pharmacies. Patients using polyclinic pharmacies will be interviewed upon leaving.?? In addition, 300 households across the island will be visited, as a part of the survey.????

All interviewers will be carrying identification cards issued by the BDS and should clearly identify themselves to householders.????????????????????????????????????

The Ministry of Health is asking members of the public to fully cooperate with the interviewers Information collected will be held in the strict confidence. jgill@barbados.gov.bb

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