Access to chronic medication made easier for patients
Waiting for hours and sometimes even days to receive chronic medication at public hospitals will soon be a thing of the past.
LIMPOPO – This was announced by the MEC for the Department of Health, Phophi Ramathuba, during the official launch the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) at the Polokwane Royal Hotel recently.
The MEC highlighted the importance of such a system in combating some of the major issues faced at public hospitals.
“Stable patients in the public sector are usually required to travel to a health facility and wait several hours on a monthly basis to collect chronic medication. Ultimately, this system will be eliminated so that patients will not be required to travel long distances and wait long hours for their medication,” Ramathuba said. According to Ramathuba there are several alternatives that are more efficient, including the use of chronic medicine pre-dispensing and delivery to a point closest to the patient.
“We are confident that the Launch of the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution today will bring a sigh of relief to both the department and the community of Limpopo”
This will be a welcome relief for patients having to wait in long queues or travel long distances for their medication.
Patients will be able to access their medication at places that are convenient to them such as Clicks, some private pharmacies and private doctors’ surgeries.
The prescription will be valid for six months and there will be no need for the patient to visit the health care facilities on a regular basis, she concluded.
