Health Ministry launches online meds distribution website

AMMAN — After complaints from people with chronic illnesses unable to obtain their prescribed medications poured in, the Ministry of Health launched an online website for the distribution process, although the new platform has its own problems.

On Wednesday, Minister of Health Saad Jaber said: “The government is aware that many patients who suffer from chronic diseases need to collect their treatment from various government hospitals and are currently unable to do so because of the on going curfew.”

Jaber thus announced during a press briefing at the Crisis Management Centre that the Ministry of Health has launched an online platform in cooperation with the Hakeem Programme by Electronic Health Solutions.

Emed, an online platform, enables patients to submit a request to the health facility they usually visit to dispense their monthly prescriptions. After the health facility reviews the request, the medications will be distributed by Ministry of Health cadres and volunteers, according to the website.

“This service helps patients in case they are unable to reach the health facility they usually visit or communicate with directly. New e-services will also be added later,” read the website.

An infographic as well as written instructions are offered on Emed, which stressed that the medicine will not be issued unless it has been a month since the last prescription was dispensed.

However, the platform is now facing new issues.

“All I have is an old phone and a mobile Internet bundle that allows access to social media platforms only. We do not have a laptop or a wifi connection, how can I apply for my dad’s medication,” said Abdullah Sarairh on a Facebook.

“How can old people who do not know how to operate a smartphone, and much less a laptop, access this platform? It is illogical to assume that everyone has access to the Internet, own a phone or a laptop and knows how to operate them,” said Lama Talhouni, a lawyer, on Facebook.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health Adnan Ishaq told The Jordan Times in a phone interview that the ministry is “trying to tackle one problem at a time”.

He added: “Initially, we had the problems of people gathering at health facilities or unable to get to them by foot. These two problems have been eliminated, and now a large proportion can obtain their medications without a hassle.”

Ishaq noted that if anyone has any technical difficulties with the platform, one should contact Electronic Health Solutions by phone at 06-5800470.

“People who have difficulty with putting in their request online can also call their assigned health facility by phone to either have the medical personnel do it for them or receive guidance on alternative ways of obtaining medication,” he concluded.