31,000 people registered for Free Medicine Program as of December last year

31,000 people have been registered for the Free Medicine Program provided by the government as at the 31st of December 2018.

The Ministry for Health says that 142 medicines are available under the Free Medicine Program.

It says that the Free Medicine Program was provided to help families with an income of less than $20,000.

When questioned by Fijivillage on whether people under the Free Medicine Program are able to get medication from private pharmacies, the Health Ministry says that people who are registered can use their registration to get medicine listed under the Free Medicine Program at private pharmacies.

The Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had earlier highlighted that if a child goes to a hospital, they get free medicine.

He said that every single person that goes to a public hospital gets free medicine, even if they are registered or not registered.

A total of $10m has been allocated in the 2018/2019 national budget for the Free Medicine Program.