LAWS INADEQUATE

Mon, 06/13/2016 - 12:00am

 

 
A number of the laws currently governing pharmacy in this country are “grossly inadequate”.
 
The acknowledgement of the deficit in this area has come from the Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Kenneth George, who is adamant that serious consideration be given to either developing new legislation or revising existing laws in order to protect public health. He spoke of the need while delivering an address yesterday morning at the Savannah Hotel during the opening of Pharmacy Week 2016.
 
During that address, he also spoke of the success of the dispensing fee introduced by the Barbados Drug Service (BDS) at private pharmacies, which he noted has allowed Government to save in excess of 16 per cent of its private sector expenditure. With that in mind, he not only thanked the private pharmacies in this country for helping the BDS achieve those significant cost reductions, but for helping to sustain the Special Benefits Service. 
 

His comments came as he lauded the Barbados Pharmaceutical Society for choosing as its theme for the week of activities ‘Pharmacy on the Move to the Future!’, which he said speaks to them being active participants in maintaining the cutting edge of an ever evolving pharmaceutical industry and being strategically positioned to deal with the challenges ahead.

 

Dr. George also told those gathered for the workshop that concerted efforts are being made by the Ministry of Health to strengthen the future of pharmacy in this country. In fact, he said that in an effort to remain viable and sustainable, the Barbados Drug Service is seeking to develop its technological infrastructure and embrace innovative data-driven decisions.

 

“Its modus operandi is to guarantee decision-making based on facts and information; and that stakeholders are provided with the highest level of service,” he said.

 

With that in mind, he stated that the BDS is committed to reducing duplications and improving efficiencies. This, he said, is being done through the Med Data Project under the Health Information System, which seeks to achieve networking of all Government pharmacies through the Ministry of Health’s expanded network.

 

“The Drug Service also assists in the development of the Electronic Single Window for Barbados, an initiative under the Ministry of Finance... The Electronic Single Window seeks to improve all interconnected businesses, suppliers, service providers and associated institutions in the form of a cluster model,” he stated.

 

The Acting CMO explained that the model seeks to lower operating costs, stimulate innovation, promote research and development, encourage training and facilitate market penetration and economy wide competitiveness. (JRT)

 

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