Minister of Health Ilze Hänķele has expressed his opinion on the new criteria for the location of pharmacies on the social network “Twitter”.
Vinkele points out that Latvia is “almost a pharmacy superpower in Europe in terms of population”.
“A pharmacy is part of the health care system, not a store. We do not have so many qualified pharmacists and residents to maintain so many pharmacies in a meaningful way, both for the quality of care and for economic benefits,” the minister emphasizes.
She continues: “The price of medicines is regulated, which means that a pharmacy can be profitable with a turnover of about 300 thousand a year. Shell pharmacies can afford to be maintained by chains and / or vertically integrated companies. The purpose of such pharmacies is to” choke “competitors and show muscle. pressing the price. “
She points out that the ministry does not offer to leave 480 of the existing 766 pharmacies: “Such a number of pharmacies in Latvia would be if we applied the average population / pharmacy ratio of OECD countries,” says Vķele.
For those who are outraged by the criteria for the location of pharmacies and the info is exactly the same as in the news headlines – VM DOES NOT OFFER to leave 480 of the existing 766 pharmacies. 1/1.
– Ilze Ņķele (@Vinkele) August 12, 2020
–
Already postedthat Inese Kaupere, the director of the Pharmacy Department of the Ministry of Health, planned to make changes in the criteria for the location of pharmacies in the Ministry of Health (MoW), as a result of which new pharmacies may not be opened less than 500 meters from an existing pharmacy.
The Ministry of Agriculture also plans to stipulate that in settlements with a population of less than 4,000, only one pharmacy will be able to be located instead of the current two.
With regard to pharmacies in hospitals, it is suggested that they will be able to open even if there is already another pharmacy outside the treatment facility closer than 500 meters. Also, one pharmacy owner will be able to own only one pharmacy. In this case, as the Minister of Health Ilze Ņīķele (AP) added, when assessing whether an owner already owns a pharmacy in the mentioned territory, the real beneficiaries will be taken into account.
The aim of the Ministry, reviewing the criteria for the location of pharmacies, is to promote the availability of quality pharmaceutical care to the widest possible population, to promote the efficient operation of pharmacies and to ensure a smooth and more rational location of pharmacies.
–
