MEMBERS of the public can visit any of the 50 pharmacies listed below to collect medicines covered in the Free Medicine Scheme, provided the medicine prescribed to them is not available at the hospital pharmacy they were examined at.
Assistant Minister Veena Bhatnagar said those that have submitted their forms to be part of the scheme were slowly increasing.
She said 100,000 forms were distributed to health centres and divisional hospitals around the country, with a total of 4430 applications received so far as of February 27.
The Western Division so far has recorded the highest number of applications with 2942 applications received; the Northern Division so far has received 772 applications and the Central Division 716 applications.
Mrs Bhatnagar is encouraging members of the public to take advantage of the scheme.
A Nasole diabetic patient Indar Singh Mathura could not contain his frustration as he visited and contacted pharmacy after pharmacy to collect diabetic medication only to be told that the scheme was not in place yet.
Mr Singh, 72, said he visited a pharmacy in Valelevu after he was not given the medicine at the Valelevu Health Centre last Friday.
“I was told they were not part of the scheme, so I called around some other pharmacies and was told of the same,” he said.
However, Mrs Bhatnagar gave her reassurance that the scheme was well underway since January 1 this year.
“All of the 50 participating pharmacies have been advised of the candidates eligible under this scheme as per FRCA approved dataset,” she said.
“The new candidates/inclusions are also being updated to the pharmacies on a weekly basis.”
Those whose combined household income is less than $20,000 are eligible for the scheme.
Mrs Bhatnagar said people who had submitted forms and had been verified by FRCA, would be issued with a ID card which they would need to present to any of the 50 pharmacies to collect their medicine.
List of participating Pharmacies:
Suva
A J Swann Drug Store – MH Homemaker Building; Amy Street Pharmacy – Suva Private Hospital; Bula Pharmacy – MH Superfresh; Central Pharmacy – Cumming St; Chemistwala – Nina St; City Centre Pharmacy – MHCC; Flagstaff Family Pharmacy; Good Healthcare Pharmacy – Cumming St; Island Pharmacy – Cumming St; Laucala Bay Pharmacy – Grantham Rd; Madison Pharmacy – Cumming St; Nasese Pharmacy – Ratu Sukuna Rd; Pharmacy Plus – Renwick Rd; Rx All Pharmacy – Laucala Beach RB Centre Poin; Samabula Drug Store – Ratu Mara Rd; Super Drug Pharmacies – Damodar City (Laucala), Ratu Mara Rd (Nabua), Thomson St (Suva); Suva City Pharmacy – Thomson St; Tappoo City Chemist – Tappoo City Complex.
Nausori/Nasinu
* Life Pharmacy Limited – Nausori & Nakasi; Mega Care Pharmacy – Matanikorovatu Rd, Makoi; Nausori Pharmacy – Nausori; Rewa Pharmacy – Nausori; Wyse Pharmacy – Nakasi & Nausori.
Nadi
Budget Pharmacies – Nadi Town, Namaka; Health First Pharmacy – Lodhia St; Island Pharmacy – Main St; Medirite Pharmacy – Lodhia St; Namaka Medisure – Namak; Rite Health Pharmacy – Namaka Lane.
Labasa
Babasiga Pharmacy – Nasekula Rd; Labasa Pharmacy – Main St; My Chemist – Nasekula Rd; Northern Drug Store – Nasekula Rd;
Navua
Care Chemist – Market Square; HyperChem Sigatoka Pharmacy – Sigatoka; Family Pharmacy Limited – Main St Navua;
Lautoka/Ba/Tavua/Rakiraki
HyperChem Pharmacy – Lautoka; Mega Pharmacy; HyperChem Pharmacy – Ba; Island Pharmacy Ltd – Ba; Quest Pharmacy – Ba & Tavua; Tavua Chemist; Quest Pharmacy Rakiraki.
