Stranded visitors to the UAE offered medicines at cost price

As most visitors to the UAE do not have health insurance in the country, Aster Pharmacy will offer those with visit visas medicines at cost price, as part of ongoing efforts to service the community during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Those wishing to avail the offer will have to provide proof of their identity and a visit visa, in addition to a prescription from a licenced medical practitioner.

If prescriptions have been prepared by doctors outside of the UAE, alternative medicines will be provided at cost price.

In certain circumstances, visitors may be allowed to buy a refill of their medication for a chronic condition without a prescription on presentation of proof of previous treatment, such as old prescriptions or packaging.

All prescription medicines legally permitted in the UAE can be accessed as part of this initiative.

Controlled medicines will require a prescription from a UAE doctor.

Generic drugs will be offered in the first instance over branded medications, and children under the age of 16 will not be given medication without a prescription.

Patients must attend the pharmacy in person to buy their medicines and can do so at any of Aster’s pharmacies in the UAE.

“We understand that the situation is uncertain and fast-changing, and this can be especially worrying for those that are stranded in the country without access to their usual healthcare services and provisions,” said Jobilal Vavachan, CEO of Aster Primary Healthcare.

“We are constantly looking for ways to further help those that are facing healthcare challenges due to the pandemic.”

Aster is already offering free telemedicine advisory to all members of the public in relation to any Covid-19 concerns.

The group is also conducting more than 200 “virtual” consultations per day in areas including internal medicine, gastroenterology, pulmonology and endocrinology to manage chronic symptoms for patients who are unable to attend the clinic at present.

Patients that require laboratory testing can also avail Aster’s ‘Lab at Home’ service while restrictions on movement continue to apply.