No compulsion to buy medication from hospital pharmacies in Bahrain: NHRA

TDT | Manama                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Staff Reporter

Authorities have confirmed that no health institution in Bahrain can compel its patients to purchase medications or other prescriptions from in-house pharmacies. People allege compulsion by certain private hospitals to purchase medication from in-house stores.

They say they have no choice since doctors do not hand over the prescription to them and instead direct patients to their pharmacies. Businessman Harish A V told The Daily Tribune that when he went to consult an Ophthalmologist at a private hospital in Manama, the doctor refused to provide the power specifications of the reading glasses.

“I wanted to buy the new glasses from another optical shop but the doctor insisted I buy them from the hospital’s in-house store which is way more expensive. I asked the doctor for the power of my new glasses but he once again ignored my request and told me to proceed to the store,” he said.

Another patient, Jayasurya, related a similar experience. Following consultation, he claims he was not given the prescription, and the doctor insisted he go to the in-house pharmacy.

“The hospital is depriving the patients of their right to purchase their medicine (or other medical items) from a store of our choice. Besides, almost always we must wait in a long queue at a hospital pharmacy, with a token, to purchase the medicine which I could have bought from any other store. It is such a waste of time. Is this an ethical practice?”

Meanwhile, the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) stressed that no health institution in Bahrain could force patients to purchase medications or other prescriptions from in-house pharmacies. Communication lines with the Authority remain open for any grievances or concerns about this, NHRA added.

“The NHRA affirms its commitment to ensuring that the required standards for safe and trusted healthcare services are met and that patients’ rights and safety are protected at all times across all public and private health facilities in the Kingdom,” it said.

The Authority also affirmed that all pharmaceutical prices were monitored, and the price of medication remained the same across all pharmacies in Bahrain. The NHRA highlighted that the launched National Health Plan (2016-2025) calls for creating national systems for the digital transformation of health records and prescriptions to ensure ease of access and higher quality services.

“Most institutions have started switching to an e-prescription system, which means paper prescriptions may no longer be handed to the patient.”