SNS
Pharmacies with fewer people vaccinated against flu and COVID-19, compared to health centers. Thousands of doses in the trash.
O Government invests 7.6 million euros in a campaign for vaccination, nas pharmacies, contra gripe e COVID-19. But this investment is not having the desired result.
This year pharmacies are administering fewer vaccines than last year, and than health centers. It is in the vaccine against COVID-19 that the difference is noticeable: so far this year, pharmacies have administered 221,042 fewer vaccines than in 2024.
The National Association of Pharmacies (ANF) says that Portuguese – aged 60 to 84, eligible age – hesitate, or refuse even when being vaccinated in pharmacies.
Ema Paulino, president of the National Pharmacy Association, recalls that older people (over 85 years old) accept the vaccine more easily, in general. And these are vaccinated in health centers. Therefore, the health centers “get the job done”.
The 7.6 million euros for vaccines in pharmacies are a “necessary expense”indicates the USF-AN (Family Health Units – National Association).
“Even because this amount was enough to pay the hiring of nurses that are lacking in health units”, says André Biscaia, in .
O incentive to pharmacies should be canceled, defends the ANF. A pharmacy receives 3 euros for each vaccine administered. A pharmacy whose vaccine disuse rate is less than 1.5% earns an additional 11 cents per dose administered.
But there are thousands of doses that go to waste: In the last vaccination campaign, practically 60 thousand doses were unused in pharmacies. In health centers, there were just over 11 thousand.
“It’s nothing against pharmacies, but this service is not necessary. Vaccination is a success story in Portugal and has always been done in health centers”, concludes André Biscaia, from USF-AN.
