Free medication for children: three more drugs take effect

Significant changes will come into force tomorrow, which will provide financial relief for parents of young children who need treatment. The Ministry of Health announced that three more medicinal products will become completely free for all children up to seven years of age. This decision is the result of intensive work by institutions to improve access to healthcare for the most vulnerable part of society.

Expansion of the Positive Drug List

The newly added medications are now officially included in the Positive Drug List, which means that their costs will be covered entirely by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). These medications are specifically intended for home treatment of acute infections that often affect young children. With this expansion, the total number of free medicines for this age group reaches five. All of them are antibiotics, aimed at treating common conditions such as infections of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, otitis, and infections of the skin and soft tissues.

This expansion of the scope comes after the manager of the NHIF, Assoc. Prof. Petko Stefanovski, recently announced to journalists that the inclusion of more medications is expected. He then pointed out that it will soon be possible for two more antibiotics and two antiviral medications to be prescribed free of charge for children up to seven years of age, with their entire cost being borne by the Fund.

It is important to note that access to these medications is only possible with a doctor's prescription, which guarantees control and proper application of the therapy.

The process of providing more free medicines continues

Meanwhile, the process of providing more free medicines continues. The National Council for Drug Prices and Reimbursement is currently considering four other medicinal products, which include antibacterial and antiviral medications. A decision on the adoption of one more product is also expected, which will further expand the scope of free children's therapy.

The responsible institutions, including the Ministry of Health and the National Council, emphasize that they are making targeted efforts to speed up the process of evaluating and including new medicines in the Positive Drug List. Their main goal is to ensure timely access for children to the necessary therapy, by removing the financial barrier for families. This is a step towards guaranteeing better and more accessible healthcare for the youngest patients.