Visit to the Osu Sala

Dr. Rajitha Senaratne,

On 19 June I visited an Osu Sala outlet with a prescription for two drugs. At the Osu Sala there were several counters – for accepting prescriptions, for dispensing and for payments. At the counter there was no one so I waited. 

Inside there were several white-clad staff. They seemed to be very busy moving about and consulting one another showing each other samples of drugs and replacing them in the shelves. One of them saw that I was at the counter and came up to me and sat down in his chair and began to work on his computer. 

I asked him whether I could buy some medicines. He asked for the prescription which I gave him saying I wanted only the first of the two items. He took the prescription and gave me a piece of paper instructing me to sit on the bench until I am called and I did so. 

Once again he disappeared to the back. I was now waiting for the drug. Perhaps I was seated for 12 minutes before I heard the number on my paper which was 1129 called. I went up to the counter. This time I was shown a different counter. Soon a lady came up to the window and sat down on the chair and began a conversation with her colleague seated on the next chair. 

I waited a while and asked the lady for my drug. She then gazed at her computer and asked me for my ID which I didn’t have but I gave her my driver’s licence. She was happy with that and then she gave me a bill and asked me to pay. Then I realised that I had to go to another counter. I paid up and came back and gave her the bill. She gave my parcel. I then realised that she had given the drug I didn’t want too. There was no way to return the unwanted drug.

Luckily they did not work on principles of profit.

There is however an Osu Sala just next to LRH and this is a model outlet. It is a very small place, not many staff but they serve the customers very well. They do not delay a customer. They instruct the customer if he wants instructions. Purchasing time is at a minimum and one can see that customers are delighted.

With best wishes

Upali Ratnayake