Ankara Metropolitan Municipality pays off citizens' pharmacy debts! A medicinal boost for 6 thousand 450 people

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) has launched a significant social support project to ensure that citizens do not struggle to meet their medication needs. Within the scope of the 'Give a Hand to Health Project' carried out in partnership with the Ankara Chamber of Pharmacists, the debts of those in need who had outstanding balances at pharmacies were cleared. Under the project, a total of 3 million 870 thousand liras in debt for 6 thousand 450 people has been wiped out.

"DEBTS ACCUMULATED IN PHARMACIES HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT"

Ankara Chamber of Pharmacists General Secretary Ahmet Çakan emphasized in his statement regarding the project that economic difficulties also make access to healthcare services more challenging. Çakan said, “Difficult economic conditions also make it harder for our citizens to obtain their medications. For this reason, thanks to the 'Give a Hand to Health Project,' which has been implemented for the third time in cooperation with the Ankara Chamber of Pharmacists and the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, the debts of our citizens who owed money to our pharmacies have been cleared. In the final stage, approximately 2 million 250 thousand liras in debt for 2 thousand 540 more people will be wiped out. Thus, together with previous years, a total of 3 million 870 thousand liras in debt for 6 thousand 450 of our citizens will have been paid.”

Stating that the debts accumulated in pharmacies stem from patients' medication co-payments, price differences, and examination fees, Çakan said, “'Credit books' are kept in our pharmacies for our citizens who have difficulty paying. Thanks to this project, these debts are being cleared. We believe that access to health is a fundamental right. We thank Mr. Mansur Yavaş for this meaningful support.”

"ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL MUNICIPALISM"

Zafer Cihanoğlu, one of the pharmacists participating in the project, stated that pharmacies have become one of the rare businesses that still keep credit books, saying, “There are almost no credit books left in grocery stores, but pharmacies have to shoulder this burden because they provide healthcare services. We cannot turn away a patient who has no money, especially someone who needs medication. Patients whose debts were wiped out thanks to this project were very happy. Most of them are people who have to use medication regularly. This support carries great meaning for them.”

Expressing her satisfaction with the implemented project, citizen Şeker Akçelik said, "I am seeing such support for the first time, I was very surprised. I would like to see it continue," while earthquake survivor Hatice Kocakaya, whose debt was cleared, expressed her feelings by saying, “The pharmacists haven't asked us for even 5 liras to this day; they even brought our medications to our home. May God be pleased with them.”

News Source: İHA