National Health Insurance Scheme Aasandha says patients who take long-term medications need not consult a doctor to refill their prescriptions amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Aasandha said it was unsafe for the public to visit healthcare facilities across the country as the government had declared a state of public health emergency here in the Maldives to fight the Covid-19 virus.
It said with this in mind, the scheme now allows patients who take long-term medications to refill their prescriptions without consulting a doctor. Aasandha added that the patients must produce the prescription documents from his/her doctor to refill their medicine.
Aasandha said patients could now access this service from the pharmacies that are not from hospitals and clinics that administer the scheme.
Aasandha said it looked at the following before re-filling a previously used prescription given by a healthcare provider under the scheme;
- Prescription must be no older than three months
- If the prescription was issued by a foreign healthcare facility under the scheme, the prescription must be six months old.
- Order for prescription must be placed at the pharmacy 15 days before the remaining medication is used up.
- Prescription must be issued for a long-term illness.
- Prescription must have all necessary information (Patients information including name, name of the medicine as well dosage, information on how to use the medicine and the doctors information).
- Patient’s National Identity Card and the prescription.
Aasandha said only long-term medications would be re-issued for these previously used prescription and short-term medication would not be refilled. For example if a patient who takes long-term medication for Diabetics was also prescribed cold medicine on his/her visit to the doctor, the patient can only refill his/her diabetic medication through this prescription document.
Assandha said following criteria should be met before medication is issued for a new prescription issued by a healthcare facility not under the scheme;
- Prescription should not be no older than three days (for new prescriptions)
- Prescription must be issued for a long-term illness.
- Prescription must have all necessary information (Patients information including name, name of the medicine as well dosage, information on how to use the medicine and the doctors information).
- Patient’s National Identity Card and the prescription.
Aasandha said this service will only be available during the state of public health emergency declared across the country and that usual services would resume once the state is officially reverted.
