As the nation presses forward with implementing a series of environmentally friendly strategic actions; including the banning of polystyrene containers for take away food and the phasing out of plastic shopping bags, St Augustine’s Medical Services (SAMS) shows that even more of Grenada’s corporate citizens can play their part in a very real way.
SAMS is in the process of replacing plastic bag usage, as much as possible, at their onsite pharmacy with a paper alternative, which has been in use since the beginning of May.
Pharmacist at SAMS, Ackel Smith commented, “We fill somewhere between 200 – 300 prescriptions monthly. Due to confidentiality and safeguarding the privacy of all of our patients, we dispense all medication in bags. Even though these changes may seem small, each of us making them can contribute to the holistic changes which need to take place across the country.”
The switch made by SAMS was a considered process, as the usage of the paper bags brings with it a 10% cost increase over the previous use of plastic bags. SAMS encourages patients to support them, and other entities who are seeking to make the change to the more environmentally friendly paper bags, by asking patients who require repeat prescriptions to re-use their bags whenever possible.
Allyson Amechi, Administrative Director at SAMS explained, “The challenge, island-wide, is to find cost-effective, affordable replacements for the once commonly used, but less environmentally friendly products, particularly as the majority of these are not manufactured on island. However, we feel it is our duty as individuals and corporate citizens to look for ways in which we can achieve these changes.”
St Augustine’s Medical Services (SAMS)