Six Kingston pharmacies sign on to public-sector partner programme

The Health Ministry has partnered with six private pharmacies in Kingston to facilitate speedier dispensation of medication to persons issued with prescriptions at public hospitals and clinics.

This is being done under the Public Sector Pharmacy Partner Pilot Programme, which was launched in Clarendon last December with five participating pharmacies.

The six participating pharmacies in Kingston are Ashbiz Pharmacy, Dolphin Pharmacy, Regal Pharmacy, Marching Bee’s Pharmacy Limited, New Horizons Pharmacy Limited; and Everybody’s Pharmacy.

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said more than 3,000 Jamaicans have already benefited from the program.

The Public Sector Pharmacy Partner Pilot Programme is being implemented by the National Health Fund.

Under the programme, persons will be asked to pay $200 to offset administrative costs for filling prescriptions at participating private pharmacies.

Approximately 190 pharmaceutical items have been approved for the programme and can be accessed by public patients through participating pharmacy partners.

To be eligible to participate in this programme, public patients must have prescribed medications that are on the approved list.

They will be required to sign up to participate and must have a Government of Jamaica Health Card or the National Health Fund Card.

It is estimated that the programme will cost the Government between $200 million and $300 million a year.