Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis is focusing on three measures to put an end to the suffering of the insured in EOPYY pharmacies.

In the availability of certain high-cost medicines from neighborhood pharmacies, in the immediate recruitment of additional pharmacists in EOPYY pharmacies and the delivery of medicines at home, which has been pilot tested since last year.

The Minister of Health emphasizes that he is personally committed that he will not allow the unacceptable incident at the EOPYY pharmacy on Alexandras Avenue to be repeated. “I want to ask a sincere apology to the people who suffered today for no reason, but also to all the insured who suffer every day waiting in the queues of EOPPY pharmacies to get their medicines“, emphasizes the minister.

Referring to the solutions he is thinking of as a whole, A. Georgiadis points out that he has already drawn up a plan on how to cut the queues in half and in the next few days he will make official announcements.

“As is well known, EOPYY pharmacies dispense so-called high-cost drugs. These are very expensive treatments, related to serious chronic diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, etc., the drugs of which patients cannot obtain from their neighborhood pharmacies. So one of the scenarios we are working on is for the EOPYY pharmacies to cooperate with the neighborhood pharmacies. This legislative regulation, however, will not apply to all preparations, but will clarify which will be accessible to patients from pharmacies and which diseases they will concern, evaluating the “model” that worked during the pandemic“, the Minister of Health reveals to APE-MPE.

All my efforts during this time that I am Minister of Health, is how I will make the life of my fellow citizens easier, he points out and adds: “I’ve never tried to sweep problems under the rug and I won’t now. Rather, I am here to find a solution to put an end to this suffering of the world».

A priority for the ministry and a central axis in the effort being made is to better serve the patient and the people who care for him, he continues emphasizing that “we will proceed with the recruitment of additional pharmacists at EOPYY, while the tender for the transport of medicines directly to patients’ homes is underway. Already, since March 2024, the pilot distribution has begun for sufferers of cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, thalassemia (Mediterranean anemia), sickle cell anemia and motor neuron disease, while in 2025 it will be extended to even more insured persons».

Earlier in the morning, as the minister himself had revealed speaking to ERT, a patient, who knew him personally, called him and said: ““Mr. Minister, what is happening now at the pharmacy of EOPYY Alexandras is unacceptable. I’ve been waiting here for a while».

The vice-president of EOPYY, Mr. Zamanis, the general manager Ms. Litsa and other associates. However, another issue arose: the pharmacy door was locked and the keys were held by the absent employees. We had to bring in a locksmith to open the door,” said A. Georgiadis.

“After our intervention, we collected the patients’ prescriptions and started the service process. While we waited, we offered coffees to the citizens who were waiting, although of course this does not negate the inconvenience they suffered“, he continued.

The incident, as he said, will be fully investigated. It is not common for three employees to be absent at the same time without notice. Responsibilities will be examined and, if necessary, appropriate sanctions will be imposed.

“What happened was shameful and unacceptable. I personally went to the site to show that I understand the magnitude of the problem.

However, the solution is not only in direct interventions, but in the creation of an effective system”, the Minister of Health had said in the morning.

At the same time, the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association in its announcement points out that “on the occasion of the suffering of the world in EOPYY pharmacies, today’s unprecedented action by the Minister of Health confirms the magnitude of the problem which has now reached such dimensions that it is imperative and necessary finding a solution, as the Panhellenic Pharmacist has repeatedly highlighted Association”.

The PFS emphasizes that the suffering of the specific vulnerable groups who are in dire need of their medicine is not dealt with by the existing framework for the circulation of these medicines from the EOPYY pharmacies, but also by utilizing the ready network of 11,000 pharmacies, with a uniform distribution and dispersion per the territory.

“Finally, the positions and announcements of the government on “High Cost Medicines from the neighborhood pharmacy” in order not to suffer the vulnerable groups of patients, must be put into practice immediately.

What takes priority, exclusively, is the protection and safeguarding of the dignity of the patients”, the announcement concludes.