Concerns are being raised around why community pharmacies haven't seen a cent of the Government’s $18 million financial support package.

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand is calling for urgent action to support under-pressure pharmacies struggling to cope with the high cost of responding to Covid-19.

Chief Executive Andrew Gaudin says it's unfair many pharmacies are having to cut staff, hours or even shut up shop due to a lack of funding.

"They shouldn't be out of pocket for maintaining essential services for all New Zealanders. It's not right." 

He says pharmacies are out of pocket and are wondering what they have to do to get support.

"The $18 million was intended to help all pharmacies who responded as essential service providers, so we are just simply saying, why don't you just allocate the money out like you did for all essential services providers?"