With immediate effect, public and private pharmacies are dispensing up to two months’ supply of pharmaceutical drugs to the public, subject to availability.
This was included in a number of measures announced by the Barbados Drug Service (BDS) today in response to COVID-19. The other measures are as follows:
- The BDS will reimburse private participating pharmacies for prescriptions filled for formulary drugs and prescribed by a registered medical practitioner, irrespective of where the prescription originated, including those from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
- In an attempt to discourage hoarding of pharmaceutical drugs and address irrational prescribing and dispensing, bearers’ notes will not be honoured forthwith.
In a statement issued today, the BDS urged the public’s cooperation as it works to ensure that those in need of medication are able to access adequate supplies.
The statement gave the assurance that every measure was being put in place to ensure the availability of drugs in the country, adding “the hoarding of drugs only creates an artificial shortage and we are strongly discouraging this practice at all levels”.