MPs say hearing complaints daily from patients waiting for meds

The House health committee on Thursday piled pressure on the health insurance organisation (HIO) to address patients’ concerns over pharmaceuticals offered through the general health scheme (Gesy).

At the focus of Thursday’s meeting was complaints regarding medicines not available through Gesy, the high cost of co-payment for the patient and the discrepancy in the price of medical supplies bought by the HIO and the health ministry.

Among the issues highlighted by committee president Efthymios Diplaros was that of innovative drugs, which are handled through a special committee that was set up in 2016 before Gesy.

Luckily for patients, the committee which operates under the permanent secretary of the health ministry and reviews requests for innovative drugs has seen its budget soar from €3m in 2016 to €80m in 2022, he said. Had it not been for the committee, people would have died, the Disy MP said.

“We have categorically stressed to the HIO that it must move quickly with all the procedures so that all these medicines can be incorporated into Gesy protocols so that patients can obtain them from their pharmacist,” he said.

The discussion would continue next week so that everyone affected could have a say.

“We have seen where the problem is and we believe that with the pressure that will be exercised by the House health committee, the HIO will move forward quickly with the procedures. The pandemic has led to delays and people must now move much faster,” he said.

And he noted that nearly all MPs are daily recipients of complaints from patients waiting for their medicine.

It was unacceptable that the health ministry can obtain some medicines at a cheaper price than the HIO, Diplaros said adding that the committee would not tolerate abuse of the system and will discuss pricing next week.

Akel MP Nikos Kettiros said that one of the important issues discussed was shortfalls in some drugs and supplies.

“Every day we hear complaints from patients that they cannot find the medicines prescribed by their doctors, or that hospitals and other health providers do not have supplies. We discussed this issue extensively today and we stressed, very sternly, that we will not tolerate this situation continuing and that a solution must be found,” he said.

Kettiros said that the committee would wait until June 15 when the new list of Gesy-available medicine will be announced by the HIO and based on that will decide whether to press for the addition of other drugs.

Diko MP Chrysanthos Savvides said that MPs had heard of hospitals obliged to send sheets for laundry in Nicosia, of pharmaceuticals needed by patients that are not available on Gesy, of other drugs whose price has multiplied since Gesy was launched and of people eligible for free medicine before Gesy who are no longer eligible.

He also insisted on wider availability of innovative drugs, saying low-income pensioners were finding it difficult to buy such medicine.

Michalis Yiakoumi of Dipa said that even though the increase in the number of medicines available through the system from 1,300 to 2,100 showed things have improved, MPs could not turn a deaf ear to patients. Medicine was advancing, there were new drugs out there and the HIO must follow developments and make these available through Gesy. This was the only way to offer Cypriots quality health care, he concluded.