It starts today, and will last until February 13th XXIV Medicine Collection Dayhistoric charity campaign promoted by Pharmaceutical Bank to donate self-medication medicines to needy people and families throughout Italy.
This year they are 1.345 the Lombardy pharmacies that join the initiative: Varese, which has the largest membership, is 54.7% of the total, Sondrio has the lowest percentage with 21%, but overall at a regional level they have gone from 33% in 2014 to 41% today (the list can be consulted on www.bancofarmaceutico.org). This year too, they will contribute directly with liberal donations. Donated non-prescription drugs will go directly to 440 Institutions of the territory committed to assisting approximately 100,000 people in difficulty. On the occasion of the2023 edition of the DayLombardy confirmed itself among the most generous regions: i collected drugs They were 158.594 (over 26.5% of donations totaled at national level), for an economic value of 1.372.111 eurodistributed to over 99,000 assisted.
In Lombardy 820 thousand poor
He often fails to keep in mind that, in addition to needing blankets, clothing and food, poor people also need medicines. «In Lombardy, 5.9% of the population is in relative poverty, while the absolute poor are 820 thousand», he explained Luca Pesenti, sociologist of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and coordinator of OPSan – Health Poverty Observatory. Relative poverty expresses the economic difficulties in using goods and services in relation to the average economic level of living. Data on healthcare spending borne by private individuals show that the poor tend to concentrate healthcare spending on drugs, 56% of the total, unlike 35% of people without economic problems. «They are poor in everything, even in health: the coverage guaranteed by the Health Service is not enough. This is why it is important support the solidarity healthcare network made up of over 400 third sector bodies, which treat almost 100 thousand of these poor people. The medicines collected during GRF 2024 will go to them, thanks to the participating pharmacies, the thousands of volunteers involved and the big hearts of the Lombards, who last year donated the record number of almost 160,000 medicines.”
«Circa 150,000 donors, 5,500 volunteers, 4,500 pharmacists in 1,345 participating pharmacies, 100,000 assisted and 440 beneficiary institutions: these are the numbers of the 2024 Medicine Collection Day in Lombardy, without counting the institutional patronage, the membership of trade associations, the help of pharmaceutical companies, the attention of the press and the media”, he highlighted Giuliano Salvioni, president of the Banco Farmaceutico Milano Onlus Association. «But behind the coldness of the figures it’s all a movement of needs that emerge, people at work, unexpected encounters, relationships that are formed, friendships that are strengthened».
Pharmacies in contact with discomfort
«The history of the GRF has its roots precisely in Lombardy, and in particular in the city of Milan, where in 2000 it was organized for the first time by the Banco Farmaceutico, in collaboration with Federfarma and Cdo Opere Sociali», he recalled Annarosa Racca, President of Federfarma Lombardia. «We are particularly attached to this charitable initiative in which our region has always collaborated with great generosity. Even today, throughout our country, There is a continuous increase in the number of people with economic difficulties who cannot afford to purchase the medicines they need. Pharmacies, as centers strongly rooted in the territory, are attentive and close also to the weakest sections of the population; this year too, therefore, the ‘green crosses’ will take to the field with enthusiasm to contribute to the success of the GRF, confirming once again their daily commitment in the social, as well as health, field”.
The GRF takes place under the High Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic, with the patronage of AIFA and in collaboration with Cdo Opere Sociali, Federfarma, Fofi, Assosalute, Egualia. Intesa Sanpaolo is the Institutional Partner of the initiative, created thanks to the important unconditional contribution of IBSA Italy, Teva Italia, EG Stada Group and DHL Supply Chain Italia and the support of DOC Generici, Accord Healthcare, Piam Farmaceutici, Zentiva Italia and Zuccari. The collection is supported by RAI for Sustainability – ESG, Mediafriends, La7, Sky for Social, and Pubblicità Progresso.
Photo by Laurynas Me with Unsplash