Outpatient medicines are no longer dispensed at Lautoka and Ba hospitals, a change Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad says is in line with the original public-private partnership agreement signed by the previous government.
“As for Aspen and HCF (Health Care Fiji Pte Ltd), our negotiations are still going on,” Prof Prasad told The Fiji Times.
“As per the agreement that was signed by Aiyaz (the former minister for economy), it never included outpatient medicines, so Aspen was providing that with a significant cost to the Government.
“The Ministry of Health has now taken over the provision of outpatient medicines and this is available.”
He said inpatients at the two hospitals would “continue to receive all medicine and consumables at the Hospital”. However, Prof Prasad said, “In line with the concession agreement, HCF is not required to provide outpatient medicines as the concession agreement envisaged that the Government/ Ministry of Health will set up a public dispensary at the Lautoka hospital to provide outpatient medicines”.
“Given the early handover of the hospitals by the previous government, these transitional arrangements are being implemented now.”
He confirmed the Ministry of Health is now dispensing outpatient medicines through the Western Health Divisional office in Vidilo House, Kamikamica Health Centre, Punjas Health Centre, the dispensary outside Ba Hospital, and private pharmacies under the Free Medicine Scheme.
“During this transition, the Government is working on setting up additional dispensary centres, including a permanent medicine dispensary at the Lautoka and Ba hospitals soon.”