The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS called yesterday’s closure of several private pharmacies a selfish act leaving them in jeopardy.

Private pharmacies temporarily “closed shop” in response to the government’s price control expansion.

Shantia McBride, the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association’s (BPA) president, on Monday advised the group’s members that it was in their best interest to close their doors, starting yesterday.

The temporary closure was in retaliation to the government’s failure to respond to the price control alternatives submitted by the BPA.

Yesterday, The Tribune canvassed several government clinics that were suggested by the Ministry of Health and Wellness to fulfil the pharmaceutical needs of the public.

Charmaine Sears spoke to this newspaper outside the Fleming Street Clinic as she expressed her vexation with the closure of the private pharmacies.

“I feel what they (private pharmacies) are doing is wrong. At the end of the day, you have persons who need their medication. For them doing that it’s detrimental to persons.

“They need to come up with a better way, I don’t think that they should force the government’s hand by closing because it’s wrong.

“You can’t force the government’s hand by damaging the country. Persons need their medication, what happens if they don’t get it and they die then what?” Ms Sears asked.

Another resident, Tommy, said he understood the BPA’s position in terms of its decision to temporarily stop business, however he said these types of decisions only hurt consumers in the end.

While speaking outside the Fleming Street Clinic he pointed out that many government clinics hardly ever have the medication needed.

“Never have enough of nothing. If you have something like the common cold, they are going to run out quick. Now critical stuff, definitely you won’t come here for that,” he said.

He added that every time you tune into the news there’s another harmful disease out.

He suggested that an agreement between the pharmacies and the government needs to be made before people suffer.

The frustration of the private pharmacies being closed was also felt by residents at the Flamingo Gardens Clinic in Carmichael.

Some residents sat outside in the hot sun anxiously waiting to be called and served.

One woman told this newspaper that private pharmacies should have given customers more notice.

She said: “We are talking about lives; we are talking about people who really need medication. We have some persons that are dying, who really need pressure medicine and asthma medicine.”

As The Tribune canvassed government clinics yesterday, many residents sang the same tune of displeasure about the hours of waiting, lack of access to medication, and stress that comes with seeking medication from public clinics.

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) announced on Monday an extension in hours and expansion of staff capacity to support the public’s pharmaceutical needs.

“The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) remains open 8am to 4pm to fill outpatient prescriptions. Until 10pm, PMH will continue to offer an on-call pharmacist to support emergency requests. Additional pharmacists will be scheduled per shift to provide support as needed,” PHA said.

When The Tribune visited PMH, there was a long line of people waiting to get inside the pharmacy.

It was said the hospital’s pharmacy had an influx of people inside waiting to be served, with additional individuals waiting outside the building.

One woman explained that before going to the hospital she had visited two government clinics that did not have the medication she required.

Under the government’s initial proposal, price-controlled mark-ups range from 15 percent to 18 percent for pharmaceutical wholesalers. For retailers, the range is from 35 percent to 40 percent. The medicines covered include vaccines, anti-diabetic drugs, decongestants, laxatives, contraceptives, antacids, antihypertensive medicines, cough preparations, cardiovascular agents and serums.