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Description
Today, approximately 2.400.000 people live below the poverty line in Greece, facing extreme difficulty to cover their basic needs, including the need for medicines. The paradox of the story is that about 34.000.000 boxes of medicines are not being consumed, they expire and they are thrown away every year. At the same time, the pharmaceutical companies withdraw from the market large quantities of medicines with an expiry date of several months and they destroy them, destroying that way the medicines’ social value as well. Therefore, on the one hand there is limited access to medicines for a big part of the population, while on the other hand a huge amount of medicines is simply thrown away. Moreover, it has been noted that socially vulnerable groups have limited knowledge in terms of handling medicines and medication compliance; a fact that puts at stake both personal and public health. The project will support vulnerable groups regarding rights to healthcare and at the same time will raise awareness regarding medicines waste.
In the context of the project, vulnerable individuals will be empowered through the following: informational activities regarding their rights to healthcare, educational activities in terms of handling medicines and medication compliance and last but not least facilitation in their access to the medicines they need through a specific application for smartphones. In order to take place the above-mentioned activities, informational and educational material will be developed for the beneficiaries. Furthermore, training sessions will take place for healthcare professionals and municipalities’ personnel. In addition to that and for the purpose of the application’s effective operation, GIVMED’s network of medicines donors will be extended so as to secure the necessary medicines at the donation points. By the end of the project 3.000 vulnerable individuals and 50 professionals are expected to be benefited.
Summary of project results
Today, approximately 2.400.000 people live below the poverty line in Greece, facing extreme difficulty to cover their basic needs, including the need for medicines. The paradox of the story is that about 34.000.000 boxes of medicines are not being consumed, they expire and are thrown away every year. At the same time, the pharmaceutical companies withdraw from the market large quantities of medicines with an expiry date of several months and destroy them, that way destroying the medicines’ social value as well. Therefore, on the one hand there is limited access to medicines for a big part of the population, while on the other hand a huge quantity of medicines is simply thrown away. Moreover, it has been noted that socially vulnerable groups have limited knowledge in terms of handling medicines and medication compliance; a fact that puts at stake both personal and public health.
The objective of the project was to empower socially vulnerable groups on the following bases: Informing them of their rights regarding healthcare, providing education for handling medicines and medication compliance and facilitating their access to the medicines they need through a specific application for smartphones. To this end, informational and educational material developed for the beneficiaries. Furthermore, training sessions for healthcare professionals and municipalities’ personnel took place. For the application’s effective operation as well, GIVMED’s network of medicines donors extended so as to secure the necessary medicines at the donation points.
GIVMED’s part as the implementing body was the project’s administration and carrying out of informational and empowerment methods. The part of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, as a partner, involved developing the informational and educational material and participating at the healthcare professionals training. We are very proud for the following results: 71 nonprofit organizations received educational and informational material about individuals and healthcare professionals, a campaign about MEDforU was implemented, 500+ users registered to MEDforU and they registered 700+ needs, the donation from 35 pharmaceutical companies was facilitated, 36 nonprofit organizations were registered to our network, 1.300+ individuals were supported to donate their leftover medicines and 110 healthcare professionals were trained (51 came from municipalities and 59 from GIVMED’s network of nonprofit organizations).