CHANGING weather conditions in East Gippsland and north eastern Victoria, are allowing pharmacy owners to restore services in bushfire-affected areas after evacuations last week.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily yesterday that the Guild had been working with owners to coordinate deliveries from Community Service Obligation (CSO) wholesalers and logistics firm, DHL, via the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) and emergency command centre units.
"Today we have assisted a medicine delivery for Omeo Pharmacy via Bairnsdale and emergency unit escort -- as well as arranging permits for re-entry of the proprietor back to the pharmacy after they were evacuated late last week," he said.
Tassone confirmed the pharmacy was reopened yesterday afternoon following the evacuation.
"Pharmacies in other areas that had to close momentarily over the weekend have been able to re-open including in Orbost and Bright," he said.
"The pharmacy in Mallacoota is still relying on medicines being delivered via air and then boat due to lack of access of road routes in to and out of town.
"The camaraderie amongst pharmacy owners and pharmacist colleagues in and around the impacted communities has been brilliant -- with pharmacy teams going above and beyond doing what they can for each other in the name of patient care."
Meanwhile, Capital Chemist Group Business Manager, Andrew Topp, revealed the group had distributed 21,000 P2/N95 face masks over the weekend through its 21 stores in the ACT, with a further 10,000 distributed across the pharmacies in the Territory.
Topp also said the 100,000 masks from the National Medical Stockpile for at risk ACT residents has arrived at pharmacies yesterday.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 07 Jan 20
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 07 Jan 20
