Pharmacy Bill: Allow patients to choose

I still remember vividly, during my college days in India, when I met with an accident in Chennai, I was taken to the nearest hospital. I consulted the doctor and he prescribed me with a set of materials and medications to be purchased from the pharmacy. Next I had to depend on my friends (or probably some good samaritans) to assist me on purchasing the prescription and I had to wait till they return for the physician to conduct the next procedures.

It was definitely excruciating to bear the pain and keep waiting, and your waiting period is now dependent on lots of other factors such as the distance of the pharmacy, the traffic, the availability of medications and materials, the amount of cash that you have in your pocket at that time of emergency and many other reasons. I'm sure many of us don’t wish to face this situation especially when you are in need of treatment and pain relief.

Coming back to a more common situation, when we fall ill, we visit the nearest clinic to consult a doctor and pick up the medications at the same place. Next, some people might get back to work and some might return home to get some sleep and hoping that they will recover right after waking up, the drugs can't do that much of magic but I'm sure that's the usual wish, right?

On the other note, after consulting a doctor and if you are advised to get the medications at the pharmacy which is just next door, then that saves your breath! But imagine if you were to look for a pharmacy else where, travel in the traffic congestion, wait patiently till you get a parking spot and this process might take up hours. Will your boss who is waiting for you at the office be able to be emphatic with your situation or are we even willing to undergo this difficulties...?

I would of course agree that the proposed ‘doctors to diagnose, pharmacist to dispense’ system will be more beneficial in terms of choices of drugs and systematically to follow the healthcare sector. But in terms of overall cost, I believe patients will have to bear more as the physicians will have to charge around RM 30-50 for consultation as approved by the Ministry of Health under the Fee Schedule and next to purchase the medications separately at the pharmacies which currently the physicians includes the medications and consultation for the same price.

I have not seen any pharmacies which is open for 24 hours and it is difficult to find for one in the rural areas, especially in the remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak and my concern is, where do these ill fated patients or the family members hunt for the medications?

I would strongly suggest that the Ministry to allow the two way system and let the patients chose either to pick up the medications at the clinic or buy them at the pharmacy according to their convenience.

I believe that we have to take into consideration of many factors as there might be a huge number of pharmacies in Kuala Lumpur and the major towns but not in the rural areas of the country. And Malaysia cannot be compared to Britain or other countries which are already using this system but we definitely will evolve and keep improving our service sector, especially the health care to offer patients with the world class facilities and quality.

Dr Venkates Rao. E

President - YouthCorp Malaysia

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