The President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, approved this Tuesday afternoon the recommendation of the Technical Table of Medications to apply a 30% discount to 170 medications on the exceptional or emergency list; and also maintains the 20% discount for retirees.
The Chief Executive reported that this measure, which will be valid for six months and can be extended, will take effect on Monday, August 15, 2022.
“Today is a historic day because this is very important news for the country, for all Panamanians because the health unions, the private sector, patient associations and the National Government have reached an important consensus,” said Cortizo Cohen.
The president described as historic this announcement in which the cost of 170 medicines for regular use is reduced. “This table is not of an I, it is at a table of an us because in this country we are used to dialogue, to listen to each other; but in the end, reaching results that are beneficial for all Panamanians”, he said.
Last week, the Technical Table for Medications, led by the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of the Presidency, José Gabriel Carrizo Jaén, recommended that Cortizo Cohen invoke article 106 of Law 1 on Medications of 2001 to create a subcommittee in which determined the drugs that are now included in the emergency list.
The Vice President of the Republic, José Gabriel Carrizo Jaén, stated that these measures are palliative as a result of a real demand and that this administration is courageously addressing them, while solutions to the problem of shortages in the health system are found and best prices in national pharmacies.
“It is a significant step in the right direction that seeks the noblest purpose of defending the interests of Panamanians and Panamanians,” added Carrizo Jaén.
He explained that, although it is an extendable measure, through all these efforts it seeks to leave concrete, permanent measures to resolve the two issues for which the president convened this table, which has been working since December 2021, which are the supply of medicines in the public sector and that prices are cheaper for the population in pharmacies. I am sure that with the initiatives that are taken to the National Assembly we are going to guarantee that in six months we could have definitive solutions”.
He stated that ACODECO will be responsible for supervising, through operations, that this measure becomes effective.
He also took the opportunity to recognize the efforts of all the actors who sat at the technical table, since December 2021, to find these solutions for the benefit of Panamanians.
In the plenary they participated; Gerardo Solís, Comptroller General of the Republic; Luis Francisco Sucre, Minister of Health; Janaina Tewaney, Minister of Government; Enrique Lau, general director of the CSS; Eyra Ruíz, Minister Counselor for Public Health Issues; Ernesto Reyes, Executive Secretary of the Technical Board of Medications; Elvia Lau, national director of Pharmacy and Drugs of the Minsa; Luis Oliva, administrator of the National Authority for Government Innovation (AIG); Jorge Quintero, general manager of Acodeco; Raphael Fuentes, General Director of Public Procurement; Enma Pinzón, from the Association of Patients with Chronic Diseases; Genaro Marino, Association of Representatives and Distributors of Pharmaceutical Products and Oris Lam de Calvo, dean of the Faculty of Medicine, among other commissioners of the Technical Table of Medicines.
