The financial situation in Greece is still really dramatic, and while the UN attempts to find a solution and meets to decide on giving more money to bring the Greek economy up, some private companies are taking decisions that will have direct impact on citizens. That is the case of Roche, the Swiss drugs company that decided to stop delivering some medications for cancer and other diseases to some state hospitals, which are non-profit, that had fall behind on their payments. However they will still deliver to pharmacies that pay for the drugs. Therefore, the medications will be available but patients will have to get a prescription to go to a pharmacy to purchase it and then come back to the hospital to be treated with it.
Greece’s health care system is suffering budget cuts, as part of a government plan to reduce debt and be able to meet the requisites presented by the UN and then qualify to receive more funds. However, some other countries with a stronger economy are facing popular resistance to additional contributions, and the process is taking longer.
Roche is not the first company that adopts this measure, and some other private companies from other markets are close to take this same measure because if they do not get paid, their businesses become unsustainable. Some hospitals have made an effort to pay Roche lately, something that may never have happened without their measure. But if the country’s economic health does not improve, the situation will get even worse.
by Paula Elum
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