Pharmacies Face Seemingly Endless Medicine Shortages

Despite the present caretaker government’s efforts to cover shortages in critical medical supplies, it seems that the situation can not get any worse. Queues have formed outside pharmacies all across Greece, and patients in need of medicines, some life-sustaining drugs, are finding they are unavailable, raising the health concerns of the entire nation.
People complained they had had their cancer treatments interrupted and were worried they might die as a result. Greek Health Minister Christos Kittas said money owed to pharmacies and hospitals would be paid soon.
On Tuesday, the country’s diabetes association said thousands of lives were at risk after pharmacists cut credit to the largest healthcare fund, leaving many sufferers unable to pay for medication.
Kostas Lourantos, head of the Pharmacy Association in the Attica region, said pharmaceutical companies were no longer interested in selling to Greece because of its bad debts, particularly referring to Roche, Bayer, Novartis and Sanofi.

Giorgos Kontogiorgos, a pharmacist in Athens, told the Associated Press, “Unfortunately the social security system has collapsed and the situation is tragic. We find ourselves in the difficult position of not being able to issue prescription drugs from insurance funds because the debts of the state are unbearable for Greek pharmacies. We cannot cope. We are all indebted to banks that have brought on this situation.”