Free asthma medicines to be given to patients

150

Asthma patients with financial constraints will receive medicines

dubai — The Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) will provide free medicines to 150 asthma patients with financial constraints. The authority has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GSK Pharmaceutical Company to support the patients who are medically eligible for certain drugs after being diagnosed with severe chronic asthma.

The MoU comes under the Nesma initiative, which was established to help asthma patients who are not financially capable but have been cleared to receive medications.

The MoU is also aimed at enhancing the patient’s commitment towards following a treatment plan as prescribed by a specialist. Free medicine packs will be provided to patients to help support the costs not covered by insurance.

Ruqaya Al Bastaki, director, drug department, MoHAP, said the programme was created to support up to 150 qualified patients. The MoU covers the period of one year and will be renewed automatically for a similar period.

The agreement was signed by Dr Amin Hussein al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for public health policy and licensing, Mohap, and Sameh Al Fangri, General Manager, GSK Gulf, in Dubai. “The programme enables patients to follow up on the treatment plan that the physician has administered to them,” said Al Fangri.