The pharmacy is not everywhere on the way to the store. In cities it seems natural, but in small municipalities it is a problem. According to the latest research in 432 municipalities in Poland, there is no pharmacy. This means that even 2 million people do not have easy access to drugs.
There is a clinic in Niechlów, there are specialists in it. There is also a place for a pharmacy, but for five years there is no willing to create it. The closest one is seven kilometers from here. – The worst with the elderly, because they are not even good connections – says Mrs. Jadwiga, a resident of the Niechlów commune.
In Perlejewo the same problem. – As many as three thousand pharmacies have been closed in Poland over the past few years due to the market regulation – reminds Jakub Krzysztof Wierzbicki, the head of the Perlejewo commune.
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In a situation like Niechlów and Perlejewo, according to the pharmacy platform, there are as many as 432 municipalities in Poland, i.e. every sixth. About two million people live in them, many of whom will simply not get without someone else's help.
– Very often patients from smaller towns collect prescriptions and when one person goes to the city, he realizes 15-20 prescriptions for nearby residents from time to time, so this is a big social problem – indicates Mariusz Kisiel, vice -chairman of the pharmacy platform of Employers of the Republic of Poland.
Drug manufacturers pump more and more money in patient organizations. It may have bad effectsMarek Nowicki/Fakty TVN
The famous PiS Act did not help
The problem has been growing since 2017, when PiS adopted the famous law “Pharmacy for a pharmacist”. According to its provisions, only a pharmacist can open a pharmacy and can have four at most. Gathering changes are needed again. – However, in order for help for such entities that would dare to conduct this type of activity – says Karol Czapla, the head of the Niechlów commune.
The “Na dependent help” coalition – the Association of Associations to help dependent people – calls that the Ministry of Health notice the problem of disappearing pharmacies before they disappear from small municipalities completely.
– He begins at the level of the smallest towns. We do not feel him here in Warsaw yet, but it all starts with small towns, and then goes higher and higher – notes Tomasz Michałek from the coalition “Na helpless help”.
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The Ministry of Health announces changes
The Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate would see an incentive to create new pharmacies in extending their rights to medical services and pharmaceutical care. – It would be the factor that would mostly stimulate the possibility of opening these pharmacies, primarily their profitability – believes Łukasz Pietrzak, chief pharmaceutical inspector.
According to experts, liberalization of regulations would help maintain a drug distribution network, which is particularly strategic in such restless times. – It can be seen in Ukraine that patients have a very big problem with access to medicines and it is said that the lack of drugs is as dangerous as war – indicates Mariusz Kisiel, vice -chairman of the pharmacy platform of the Republic of Poland.
The Ministry of Health announces an amendment to pharmaceutical law. – Because I think that the most important rule is the pharmacy principle for the patient, not a pharmacy for pharmacists – says health minister Izabela Leszczyna.
For now, however, there is no specific dates.
Source of the main photo: Facts of TVN