BANGKOK, Sept 28 (TNA) – Hospital patients will be able to receive prescribed medication at drugstores near their homes, including gold card holders, starting on Oct 1, said Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnveerakul.
The new measure aims to tackle overcrowding at hospital dispensaries. Initially, 50 hospitals and 500 pharmacies participate in the campaign.
Mr. Anutin, also public health minister, said the board of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) approved on Sept 2 to include gold card holders under the Universal Healthcare Coverage scheme to receive medication at hospitals or at drugstores in their neighbourhood.
However, patients, who are allowed to buy medication outside hospitals are those, who suffer from chronic diseases and have stable conditions.
Gold card holders, who have diabetes, hypertension, asthma or mental illnesses, are qualified to receive medicines under the programme, he said.
It is estimated that about two million patients of those four diseases would receive medicines from drugstores near their homes this year. (TNA)
