Free medicines audit underway

Government does not yet have time frames to tackle the problem of out of stock medicines but these will be released after an external audit is complete in six weeks' time. Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said today the audit will cover the procurement, storage and distribution of medicines. The audit follows an internal review undertaken by the Health Ministry and a report by the Ombudsman last year. Dr Farrugia said the external audit will not only give a clear picture of the current state of affairs but also map out the changes that have to be done to improve efficiency. In an interview with The Sunday Times of Malta two weeks ago the minister ruled out introducing a payment system for free medicines. The audit will also review the Pharmacy of Your Choice, a system by which free medicines are distributed through private community pharmacies. "The audit will not only look at the problem of out of stock medicines but also the misuse and the dead stock," Dr Farrugia added. He noted the POYC was costing 300 per cent more than the previous system that saw patients collecting their free medicine from hospital. Dr Farrugia was speaking at the end of a visit by President George Abela...