New Brunswick has added conjunctivitis to the list of common ailments that pharmacists in the province are able to diagnose and treat.
It’s part of the provincial governments efforts to free up space in walk-in clinics and hospital waiting rooms. Back in May, they added seven new ailments to the list, and today’s announcement brings the total to 12.
Officials from the department of health say more than 1,000 people went to walk in clinics last year to get treatment for conjunctivitis, more commonly known as ‘pink eye’.
“We know that many families are affected by conjunctivitis, and they need to see someone for relief,” said Health Minister Bruce Fitch in a press release. “To ensure that New Brunswickers can see the right care provider for the right service at the right time, we are working with our highly skilled pharmacists, who care for people in their communities, to make it easier to access these needed services.”
New Brunswick is now the fourth province to give pharmacists the ability to treat conjunctivitis. They join Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.
