For the second consecutive day, some 450 small pharmacies remain closed nationwide.
Orlando Pérez, president of the National Union of Pharmacy Owners (Unprofa), explained that these closures are due to the “imposition” of Executive Decree No. 17 of August 10, 2022. The decree set a 30% discount on the price of 170 medicines from this Monday, August 15.
He assured that with the entry into force of this decree it is difficult for them to provide the service to the communities.
“They condemn us to bankruptcy and to have to fire the workers,” said Pérez, who said that they held meetings on this matter at the headquarters of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) and “they did not give us answers.”
The president of Unprofa, asked the president, Laurentino Cortizo to rectify. “We hope that the government calls us and we reach an understanding.”
This closure measure goes from Bocas del Toro to Darién, while confirming that, in the afternoon of this Tuesday, they will attend a meeting at the Presidency of the Republic. This is a session of the technical work table that was installed last February to solve the shortage of medicines.
