Netcare in-hospital pharmacies shut to public

Netcare has suspended the availability of all in-hospital pharmacies to the general public from Monday.

Netcare’s hospital division MD Jacques du Plessis said the suspension was until further notice and was one of the measures being implemented to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. 

“This measure will serve to reduce the traffic in our hospitals, and will assist in reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission to health care workers and those in our care.

“Critical in-hospital pharmacy services will be prioritised during this pandemic period,” he said.

“Individuals who have a chronic or monthly medicine prescription with Netcare in-hospital pharmacies should contact the pharmacy to arrange collection of their pre-packaged medication at a designated collection point in the screening area outside the hospital.

“Alternatively, the pharmacists can contact a retail pharmacy of the individual’s choice to assist with making arrangements for the collection of prescriptions.”

Du Plessis said pharmaceutical services to patients in the hospital would continue as normal.

“Our pharmacies will continue to provide full pharmaceutical service to those in our care in our hospitals, as well as to issue ‘to-take-out’ [TTO] medicine for individuals who are discharged from hospital and to fill prescriptions for people seen at the emergency departments.

“The in-hospital pharmacies will also dispense medicine to staff and doctors on duty at the hospitals.”