According to the announcement of the Executive, the plan called Medicamentos Solidarios (MedicSol), will allow patients who cannot find their medicine in the CSS pharmacies to have free access to them in private stores affiliated to the project.

The palliative measure, criticized by social organizations and popular movements which consider that it does not solve the high prices of medicines and that it benefits the businessmen who own the pharmaceutical sector, has a fund of 10 million dollars.

As explained the day before by the country’s authorities, the CSS will assume the cost of the medicine acquired in private stores, which will be paid within 30 days.

MedicSol has been operating since Tuesday in four health centers in Panama City and five stores and commercial chains, with four drugs to treat hypertension and one for cholesterol.

The second phase will include the aforementioned drugs plus anti-diabetics, while a third will add paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Panama has 610 basic drugs, and there has been a shortage of 130 of them in the social security system since last March, according to government reports.

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