SLP, Mexico.- In the midst of an extreme shortage of medicines in Cuba, the health authorities have implemented a “method” to sell drugs based on a schedule prepared by doctors’ offices and pharmacies.
According to what was reported in the local media Forwardfrom Camagüey, a schedule will be made in the offices that will establish priorities according to the type of medication, patients in vulnerable situations and other aspects.
Maurilis Acosta Nápoles, head of the pharmaceutical services section of the General Directorate of Public Health in Camagüey, explained that the schedule will indicate the offices that are responsible for purchasing each day, until they are covered. all.
The period for the purchase varies between six and seven days, depending on the number of offices each pharmacy has. When the sale to all centers, it restarts again in the order of arrival of the medications.
In each distribution cycle, he indicated, when the merchandise arrives at the pharmacies, the administrator of each establishment will inform the local authorities and medical personnel to start the sale as agreed. People will come to buy only when it is their turn.
In accordance with what is specified by the directive, the quantities to be sold per patient will correspond to the coverage received and what is “established” according to the type of medication.
The authorities specified that the proposed “sales model” includes “all” medications, but “it is fundamentally aimed at controlled ones,” which is why they asked that people who receive their medicine through a card come to update their data in offices.
Justifying that this system guarantees equity in access to medicines and prevents the same people from benefiting from the products sold every day, the regime seeks to mitigate the serious shortage of medicines. medications.
According to official information, at the end of 2024 of the 651 products that make up the Basic Table of Medicines, 461 were between total lack and low coverage, which implies that more than 70% of essential drugs are not available for Cubans.
Despite the donations of medical suppliesespecially from allied countries such as Russia, China, Nicaragua and Venezuela, The health crisis continues to affect the Cuban peoplewho has to go to the informal market and purchase the medications they find at exorbitant prices.
