Though the list of compensated drugs is extended annually, there are many people who do not benefit from such medicines. The patients with renal, urological, osteoarticular diseases and respiratory infections receive such drugs the least, shows a study by the Center for Health Policies and Studies (PAS Center) that was presented on April 23, IPN reports.
The Center’s director Viorel Soltan said the study, which was carried out for the first time, reveals the people’s level of access to medicines provided free by the state. It shows that less than one third of the respondents (31%) benefited from compensated drugs.
It was ascertained that the pregnant women, though they are formally included on the list of recipients of compensated medicines, do not actually receive them, while the mothers with children under five are among the least informed about their right to benefit from compensated drugs for their children. As regards the physical access to this category of medicines, the study shows that the people from rural areas encounter difficulties in getting them. 44% of the beneficiaries from villages said they need to go to other settlements to obtain compensated drugs.
Even those who receive compensated drugs said these drugs cover only one third of the medicines prescribed to them. Some doctors said they are limited and even reproached by their chiefs if they prescribe too many compensated drugs, especially expensive ones.
Before the study was presented, Deputy Minister of Health Svetlana Cotelea said the list of compensated drugs contains 88 names and the authorities aim to extend it and allocate more financial resources for the purpose and to make the process of providing compensated drugs more transparent.
The study was conducted by PAS Center and Magenta Consulting with the financial support of Soros Foundation Moldova, within the Public Health and Good Governance Programs. It covered a representative sample of 2,217 persons who took medicines during the last six months. There were also interviewed family doctors, managers of primary medical institutions, druggists and functionaries.
