A Health Ministry bill concerning scheduling of surgeries at public hospitals, tracking the distribution of medicine, and introducing the delivery of medication for serious illnesses at home, passed the first reading in committee at Parliament on Monday.
Its reading in principle was passed with ruling New Democracy votes and was rejected by main opposition SYRIZA and by the Communist Party of Greece. PASOK-KINAL, Greek Solution, Spartiates, Niki and Plefsi Eleftherias reserved judgment for the debate in plenary.
The bill is titled “Regulations for the management of the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19, enhancing public health protection, the electronic tracking of medicine distribution, the Unified Surgery List, and other urgent regulations.” It was posted for a week-long public consultation until September 23 and is processed on a fast track.
A discussion by article was also completed on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday, it will go through a second reading, before moving on to plenary for a vote on Wednesday.
Earlier on Monday, the Social Affairs parliamentary committee heard from representatives of surgeons, doctors, nurses, pharmacies, and several patients’ associations related to diabetes and children’s cancers, among others.
One of the bill’s provisions aims at coordinating the scheduling of operations at public hospitals to remove double entries between hospitals as well as completed operations.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
