Pharmacies Extend Hours Of Service
People living in Nasinu now have the advantage of accessing the pharmacies at the Valelevu Health Centre and the Bhanabai Health Centre in Makoi from 6.30am to 10pm during the week.
They will operate from 8am to 4pm on weekends and public holidays.
This was after the Assistant Minister for Health, Veena Bhatnagar, officially launched the extended hours of service by the respective pharmacies at the Valelevu Health Centre on Wednesday.
The pharmacies previously operated from 8am till 4pm daily.
“Over the years the demand for this service has increased primarily because of rural-urban drift that has become concentrated in the Suva-Nausori corridor.
“The Valelevu Health Centre alone provides service to a population of 54,000 people in the area along the Kings Road from the Four Miles bridge to the Laqere Bridge which includes those from residential suburbs and informal settlements,” Ms Bhatnagar said.
She said for that reason there was a need to extend the hours and lessen the load on the medical staff.
“This population is looked after by three medical officers, two nurse practitioners, and 19 nursing staff and four elite staff. The health centre sees an average of 450 patients a day,” Ms Bhatnagar said.
She said the ministry would extend service hours of pharmacies in other health centres if there was a great need.
Ms Bhatnagar assures there would be no shortage of medicine although at times there would be delays in getting in those medication purchased from overseas.
