The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville yesterday gave an assurance that his ministry has the capability of accessing additional pharmaceutical drugs for the Bahamian public if needed should pharmacies continue to remain closed.

He spoke to reporters ahead of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister where members of the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association gathered to speak with the government about their concerns with its expanded price control regime.

Pharmacy operators across the country have opposed the changes and even closed their businesses yesterday to avoid being levied fines for failing to implement the new regulations.

The closures forced the Ministry of Health to expand the operation hours yesterday for its local clinics so that Bahamians would have access to vital medicines.

“As it stands right now, we are satisfied with what we have,” Dr Darville told reporters yesterday of the current supply. “We are in communication with our wholesalers, the SMA as well as the Public Hospitals Authority are on high alert. If we realise that there are shortages, we believe that we have the capability under logistic manpower resources to ensure that the pharmacies are able to supply the demand.”

When asked how long the ministry was able to sustain operations in the event private pharmacies remain closed, the minister could not say the extent of their inventory.

However, he added: “Well, we are definitely now in a mode where all of the key players are at the table in the Public Hospitals Authority and the Department of Public Health. We have means and ways how we can access medications out of the country, about as far as I am aware of the wholesalers are still operating.

And there are some contractual agreements that we have with the Public Hospitals Authority that I believe are not in jeopardy. I believe most of this is at the private pharmacy level, and not so much at the wholesalers. So, we do have some contractual agreements that we believe that the wholesalers would adhere to.”

He also said that as it stands now, officials were able to handle the current demand.

“Yes,” he said when asked if they were able to handle a large influx of people.

“Well, what we have is we have our teams on the ground to make the assessment. We have a basic understanding based on our patient load, what is the required medication on a monthly basis and from that we have calculated.

“Now that means that we may have an additional percentage and I think today and tomorrow, we will be able to have a better understanding so that whatever purchase agreements we need to go into and who we need to consult outside of the country and with those with our contractual agreements, we can do so very quickly.”

Under the government’s initial proposal, price-controlled mark-ups range from 15 percent to 18 percent for pharmaceutical wholesalers.

The medicines added to the price control list include vaccines, anti-diabetic drugs, decongestants, laxatives, contraceptives, antacids, antihypertensive medicines, cough preparations, cardiovascular agents and serums.

Asked about his reaction to yesterday’s closures, the minister said he was a bit shocked but noted that officials moved quickly to come up with a plan to accommodate those who may have been inconvenienced by the unforeseen shutdowns.

Last night, it was reported that pharmacies would reopen today with talks to be held with the government.