A few days ago, a gentleman from Marsascala wrote a letter in a local newspaper complaining that some of the medicines he needed, under the government’s “free medicines” scheme, were out of stock. This gentleman has two alternatives: He can either buy and pay for his medicines from a pharmacy or else take up the following suggestion.

About three weeks, I also needed some “Coversyl” 4mg tablets, which I am entitled to under the government’s “free medicines” scheme. However, at that particular period this medicine was unfortunately out of stock at all government health clinics and even at Mater Dei Hospital. So guess what I did? I went home and looked up page 12 of an informative booklet entitled Saħħtek għal Qalbna, which was recently distributed freely with a local newspaper. This booklet was compiled and issued by none other than the Ministry for Health, the Elderly and Community Care.

Then I looked intently at the picture on that page, closed my eyes and concentrated hard. And voila, like in a fairytale, I suddenly found myself in one of the 113 “pharmacies of your choice” somewhere in the north of Malta. I gladly queued behind a certain Marthese Psaila who at that time was being served by a cheerful and affable pharmacist. There on the counter were the three small boxes of Coversyl 4mg tablets that I needed.

Then, when it was my turn, the pharmacist gladly handed me my free “Coversyl” tablets. I couldn’t believe that at last I had found my then “out of stock” tablets. There are still another three boxes of “Coversyl” tablets on the pharmacy’s shelf. Yes, they are on page 12, for everyone to look at. I’m sure that this particular magical pharmacy also has available the other “free medicines” that our gentleman sorely needs. Believe me sir, it was a gratifying, worth trying, fairylike experience that I’ll always cherish!

Charles Cirillo

HAMRUN