Long Queues for Free Drugs in Yekaterinburg Leave Many Empty-Handed
Residents of Yekaterinburg continue to complain about long queues at pharmacies that dispense subsidized medications. Yesterday, we reported on a similar problem at a pharmacy on Repina Street, and today we visited Bardina Street, 34. According to people in the queue, they have to wait for several hours for medications, and this situation has been going on for days.
‘The entire large hall is filled with people; you need to stand for more than an hour to get free medications. A person with diabetes in the queue felt unwell from such a long wait,’ complained a reader of E1.RU.
As Yekaterinburg residents say, enduring the queue is only half the battle. After a long wait, it may turn out that the necessary drugs are simply out of stock.
‘I stood for two hours to get medications for a relative, but I couldn«t. We come here after work, but often leave empty-handed,’ shared a Yekaterinburg woman in the queue.
Other pharmacy visitors say the same thing — they have to take time off work and come multiple times in the hope that the needed drug will finally be in stock.
‘Test strips for measuring sugar cannot be obtained or ordered at all — they are simply not in stock. And now at work they check, they tell me: «Sugar is high» — and don«t allow me to work. And what should I do? Buy them for money? I have no money, you don»t let me work. It«s some kind of vicious circle. They prescribed a prescription, I buy one pen for four thousand rubles (about $44 at current rates), I inject every week,’ shared a Yekaterinburg woman who cannot get medication for diabetics.
The regional Ministry of Health is aware of the problem. As reported to E1.RU by the ministry«s press service, Deputy Governor Tatyana Savinova has already tasked to inspect all pharmacies from which complaints about queues for receiving medications are coming.
Earlier, Ural residents already complained about the absence of an important drug for diabetics. At that time, authorities also said that there were enough medications.
In mid-January, Yekaterinburg residents reported a shortage of medication for epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
