Many of the world’s poorest countries don’t have free health care. If you need treatment you have to pay for it. Anahit lives in Arpi village in Armenia. She is diabetic. This prescription-filling gift keeps her local Oxfam Unwrapped supported health post stocked with essential medicine. So now Anahit can get insulin for free.
The aim was two-fold – to secure a short-term and long-term supply of drugs, and to ensure that responsible family doctors and paediatricians make regular village visits.
Oxfam Unwrapped bought essential drugs and distributed them to 70 villages. The government also supplied some drugs – a good sign, bearing in mind the ultimate aim is for the state to take more responsibility in providing drugs to the villages.
The project was a success – and a hit with Anahit “I have diabetes and the health post is the only place where I receive free drugs. Thanks to the new project, people feel themselves more confident. When I learnt about the project I … asked for support. [Someone] accompanied me to the policlinic and explained how to receive the disability allowance. It was a big support.”