The outburst of a pharmacist who highlights the weak points of the agreement: low reimbursements, the problem of summer recalls, the use of personnel and resources
AOSTA. The agreement between the Region, the Aosta Valley Local Health Authority, Assofarm and Federfarma has been in operation for about a month to administer anti Covid vaccines in pharmacies. The terms of the service, designed to speed up the vaccination campaign, are established in an agreement that defines the obligations and rights of pharmacists.
However, participation by the Aosta Valley pharmacies remains limited. According to the lists updated by the USL, there are about twenty scarce ones offering the service. The health company recommends making a reservation at the pharmacy closest to home, but it is not at all easy. In the Aosta belt the most delicate situation. In the capital only one pharmacy is available. The alternatives are in Aymavilles, Villeneuve, Gressan. There was also one in Sarre, but then he gave up. A pharmacy in Pont-Saint-Martin did the same. Those who reside in the lower valley have to choose between Châtillon, Saint-Vincent, Montjovet or move to Nus or Champorcher, Valtournenche, Brusson, Ayas. Or go up to the upper valley.
An opinion on the reason for this poor adhesion comes from a pharmacist who asks to remain anonymous.
“In the pharmacies of the Aosta Valley, vaccination is organized in a way that is difficult to manage,” he explains. “There are people who contact me from all over the Valley to book their vaccine. For us the gain is minimal, but I have to make my resources and my staff available, who in this way cannot follow my customers. The staff must also be trained in the use of the administration planning software and I must reserve spaces for vaccination. For what? For the administrations we are recognized 6 Euros plus 5 as organizational reimbursement, but the special medical waste disposal bin alone costs 50 ».
At the moment, vaccination in pharmacies is possible for those born between 1972 and 1973 who have to carry out the first dose and then the booster in the middle of summer. “And how do you do with staff holidays?” He asks.
According to the pharmacist, administration could be simplified by using single-dose vaccines, therefore without the need for a booster in the summer months. «One solution – he says – could be to administer single-dose vaccines to people aged 40 to 60, therefore both to our regular customers and to people who come from other municipalities. In this way we would offer a more logical and consistent service with our private and local pharmacy reality ».
The situation is different for tampons. “Fortunately – confides the pharmacist – this service has been made available to pharmacies that have offered their availability, as we did, and not, as some wanted, entrusted at a high price by a private facility here in Aosta”.
Marco Camilli
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