• Lack of information on National Health Insurance Scheme will lead to hindered access to quality pharmaceutical care.
• It’s important to provide heightened sensitization to members of the public.
• They need to benefit from private health providers.
Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) says lack of information on the National Health Insurance Scheme is hindering citizens from accessing quality pharmaceutical care.
Society President Kennedy Saini told Money FM News that the institution is concerned with the lack of information on the national health insurance scheme and the benefits members are expected to receive from Private Pharmacy Providers.
Mr. Saini observed that some people who have subscribed for the scheme are unaware that they can access medicines and medical supplies from accredited private pharmacies upon presenting a valid prescription from an accredited health facility.
He called for heightened sensitization noting that so far, the partnership between accredited private pharmacies and National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) is progressing well.
“Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia is concerned with the lack of information among members of the public to access Private Pharmacy Providers under the national health insurance scheme. This will lead to hindered access to quality pharmaceutical care and services.”
“It’s therefore important to provide heightened sensitization to members of the public so that they can be able to benefit from private health providers. In this case, if they are given a valid prescription from a private health provider who may not have the medicines, they can easily walk into a private accredited pharmacy and access the medications,” Mr. Saini said.
In 2020, NHIMA accredited eight Private Pharmacies to provide insured healthcare services to facilitate easy access to quality health care countrywide.