The Malta Chamber of Pharmacists has stated that in line with the strong professional stance of the MAM, it is declaring a dispute with Government “on its intransigence in contributing at policy level and by personal behaviour to render meaningless the sacrifices of frontline healthcare professionals, including pharmacists.”

The Chamber reiterated that the Covid-19 pandemic is an ongoing national and global issue that requires prioritised good management, discipline and responsible action. It is a time where the whole nation pulls together.

“It is not a time for playing partisan political games, nor is it the time to score political points and enhance one’s popularity sectorally,” said the Chamber

It stressed that, “we should all be pulling the same rope towards the time when we have access to a safe and effective vaccine for the population, which is envisaged to be not in the too distant future due to the several initiatives in research and development taken at EU and international levels. Only then can we talk of a post-covid period.”

The Chamber argued that “with the permits issued for the holding of several mass events this summer with international advertising, the politicians and people irresponsibly ignoring mitigation guidelines, caution has been thrown to the wind… no lessons have been learnt from our collective sacrifices, the sad deaths of our dear covid-19 victims, and the suffering of their families, nor have lessons been learnt from the horrific experiences of our neighbouring countries and globally.”

“This jeopardises the front liners, not least pharmacists in the community who have remained open notwithstanding, giving a professional and caring service to patients and carers at great personal sacrifice,” it said.

The Chamber said that it too “holds the Government and mass events organisers and participants responsible for jeopardising the health and safety of pharmacists and for this reason we are registering a dispute and putting all pharmacists on alert.”

The Chamber reminded pharmacists that all Covid-19 guidelines and directives issued since March 2020 to date “are to be meticulously followed” and reinforced the following instructions to the public visiting pharmacies:

1. Pharmacies will admit a maximum of TWO people into the pharmacy at any given time.

2. When in pharmacies Public must adhere to all directives given to them by the managing pharmacists.

3. These include the obligatory wearing of a face mask or visor, hand sanitising before entry and exit, and maintaining a 2 metre distance from any other person.

The Chamber urged all to comply “in the best interest of health and safety, their own and that of society, especially vulnerable persons and all the front liners – and help maintain a good essential pharmacy service under the present circumstances.”

It concluded by thanking pharmacists for “continuing to rise to the occasion as always and assure them of our relentless continuing support.”

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