Ministry of Health at the Table with Representatives of Oncology Patients: Measures Taken to Address Delays of Some Medicines

Deputy Minister of Health Jovica Andovski today held a working meeting with representatives of the Association "HEMA-ONCO" and with representatives of the group "Butterflies" to discuss the current needs of oncology patients and the improvement of health care.

The meeting followed a gathering of oncology patients in front of the Ministry of Health, where citizens protested over delays in the delivery of some therapies.

Premature solutions until supply stabilizes

At the center of the discussions was the new Law on Medicines — the association's representatives presented their recommendations and proposals, and the deputy minister emphasized that patient organizations should be actively involved in the creation of policies and legal solutions that directly affect patients. "For the medicines for which delays were registered, concrete measures have already been taken. Some deliveries have been completed, new contracts have been signed for some, and temporary solutions are being secured for the remaining ones until the situation fully normalizes," the Ministry of Health announced.

At the gathering in front of the ministry, Ana Marjanovic from the Association "HEMA-ONCO" said that the problem with therapies has persisted for years, but that at this moment it has been overcome. She noted that the therapies most often missing were "Fulvestrant" and "Zoladex", and this time there was also a shortage of some of the cytostatics that are on the positive list. "Patients," she stressed, "are kept in uncertainty and demand timely and continuous therapy."

Marjanovic warned that although the association managed to secure an increased budget for Oncology, after the tender that concluded in May there remain gaps in procurement over the summer. She said: "We asked for a larger budget and we got it. The tender passed in May and all summer there have been some gaps in Oncology procurements. We do not know whether the right place for a gathering, since it is not a protest, is the Ministry of Health, but because we have been in front of the Health Insurance Fund and in front of Oncology too many times, we no longer know where our place is. If the problem is not overcome and in one month we again have such a stoppage — from a week to five to ten days — then if it is not said exactly which supplier is the problem, because lately we hear that suppliers are the problem, we will position ourselves in front of all institutions — meaning we will be in front of the Government, in front of the Ministry, in front of Oncology; we will be everywhere and we will be in front of all distributors, or otherwise we want to know which distributors are causing problems, to be at their premises and be able to talk to them so they tell us what problems they may be facing so that oncology patients receive timely therapy."

The Clinic announced yesterday that for a small number of preparations from the Health Insurance Fund's positive list a "short-term delay in delivery" was recorded, which they link to several factors — increased consumption, a larger number of patients, the period between two public procurements, and partial shortages among distributors.

Photo: press material from the event