Lack of medicines on pharmaceutical market endangers life of a child

22.05.2020 06:25
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Ombudswoman for children’s rights Maia Bănărescu calls on the competent authorities to respect the rights to life and health of a child diagnosed with a rare disease and to provide this with vitally necessary medicines. The child’s state of health can worsen as the national drugstores do not have the medicines needed by the minor and his parents cannot purchase them abroad owing to the travel restrictions imposed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, IPN reports, quoting a press release.

In a letter sent to the Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection, the ombudswoman for children’s rights recommends taking swift measures in the case of the minor who suffers from a rare disease and needs costly treatment for living.

In the press release, Maia Bănărescu says that given the very high prices of the drugs that need to be bought abroad, the child’s mother asked the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection to be covered the costs incurred for her son’s treatment.

“The child’s right to enjoy the best possible state of health and to benefit from medical and rehabilitation services is also guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, by their agents, should not only refrain from causing the death of a person, but also have the positive obligation to take all the necessary measures to ensure the efficient protection of this right,” says the press release.

Based on the aforementioned, the ombudswoman for children’s rights requested the Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection to order to take the measures needed to supply the child with the necessary medicines so as not to allow his right to life to be violated.

This January, Maia Bănărescu requested the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection to investigate this case and to order to refund the costs incurred by the family for the boy’s treatment. Later, the ombudswoman was informed that the Ministry was to cover 50% of those costs incurred by the family.