Brasília - The Community Pharmacy program has already distributed over 960 thousand remedies in 23 establishments located in the cities of Goiânia, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador. The program, which was inaugurated by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on June 7 of this year, is a component of the Ministry of Health's policy to broaden popular access to medications it considers essential. One of the goals is to help people who find treatment difficult due to the high price of remedies.

The Ministry of Health plans to increase the number of pharmacies to 100 by the end of the year. "We have over 60 municipalities that have formally declared their intention to adhere to the program, and nearly 20 new pharmacies are under construction," explained the National Coordinator of the Community Pharmacy program, Jamaira Giora.

The pharmacies stock 89 medicines, which are obtained from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, which is an organ linked to the Ministry, public pharaceutical laboratories, or the private sector. The prices are 40-90% lower than those charged by commercial drugstores. According to Jamaira, the medications in highest demand so far are for the treatment of heart disorders and diabetes. "We operate with a list of medications that cover over 80% of illness treatment needs," she affirmed. Anybody can purchase medicines in the community pharmacies, provided they present a doctor's prescription.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Daniel Dutra
Translator: David Silberstein
09/06/2004