Dionne Rose, Business Reporter

Pharmacies in parts of the St Catherine capital are reporting as much as a 45 per cent drop in sales, in a downswing of business that they link to the introduction of free health care at public hospitals and clinics.

But while at least one operator is charging that the government is putting them out of business, the impact, so far, seems contained to the pharmacies whose market has mainly been low-income communities, whose members are consumers of state-operated health services.

Reduction in sales

Before the introduction of the policy that frees patients of hospital fees and the cost of prescribed medicine, pharmacies in the vicinity of the Spanish Town Hospital said they could count on the facility's overflowing business.

But since April 1, said Lorraine Campbell, assistant manager of St Jago Pharmacy, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in the weekly sales.

"We are reporting $60,000 (drop) and more," Campbell told Wednesday Business. "We have lost customers - a good amount - because everybody going to hospital."

Added Campbell: "Why the rest of them come here is because they (the hospital) don't have some of the medication to give them."

The pharmacy manager said St Jago would fill more than 150 prescriptions a day, but that number is down to around 40.

"It is cheaper for patients to access the government's hospital, as some of the medications are expensive," she said.

Another pharmacy owner in the neighbourhood, who requested anonymity, said his weekly sales are down 45 per cent.

"If it continues this way," he said, "the government is going to put us out of business."

The Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica last week confirmed that some members were facing challenges, but president Verna Walker-Edwards said that the full nature of the problems had not been aired, and so could not at this point be pinned to the free health care policy.

"I haven't really gotten a feedback," she said. "I know that there are some issues out there, but I am unable to answer just now."

Edwards said that she would be in a better position to outline the concerns of her members after a meeting with them.

Checks with pharmacies near the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), which is located within the capital city's downtown core, have not seen any change in sales, when checks were made.

Free access

Under the government free health care plan, everyone accessing the public health-care system will pay no fees for registration, doctor's examination, hospital admission, surgeries, medications, diagnostic services, renal dialysis, ambulance service, physiotherapy, family planning, pregnancy tests, ante-natal services, delivery and immunisation.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com