Renegotiation of Pharmacy Of Your Choice two years overdue

The Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) has complained that the government has "repeatedly" failed to keep its contractual and operational promises on the Pharmacy Of Your Choice scheme, which allows consumers to collect government medicines from local pharmacies.

According to the GRTU, the agreement governing POYC is now reaching its end when the government was contractually bound to start negotiations on a new agreement two years ago.

"Despite the many representations by both the GRTU and the Chamber Of Pharmacists, government procrastinates and procrastinates, and then procrastinates again," the GRTU said.

"This has now become an unacceptable way of doing things and shows the deep disregard and the lack of respect that the government has towards the sector of private pharmacies."
The GRTU has warned it will resort to action, albeit unspecified, if this procrastination persists.

"The government is being warned. When action will be taken by GRTU, it will be drastic and unexpected. Unless government gets its act together and sits down at the negotiating table, that action will come. We have had enough of dilly-dallying civil servants who build little empires and perch on them like prima donnas.

"We have had enough of having to have to threaten action for someone to do his duty. This time, we will not sabre-rattle. We will take action."

The POYC is now in the process of being launched in the district previously covered by the Luqa health centre. The GRTU reports that the roll-out has its usual teething problems, but is going well with patients warmly welcoming the new system.

The GRTU also said the new Medicines Procurement System implemented by the Ministry Of Health "that follows very closely the advice GRTU has been giving" managed to overhaul an antiquated tender system and put in place a more modern procurement system. "The new system has practically solved the old out-of-stock situation."