The proposal of the Minister of Health Mikhalis Damian to give private pharmacies the opportunity to independently determine the hours of work was rejected on the general vote of the Cyprus Association of Pharmacists. Pharmacies should work as previously.
According to the law, the right to decide on which schedule the pharmacies should work, belongs to the Minister of Health. He can issue a decree in which their schedule will be defined. However, in practice, any unilateral solution and changes in this issues without consultations with representatives of the industry will definitely cause a protest of pharmacy owners.
On July 30, the Minister of Health Mikhalis Damian took part in the General Assembly of the Cyprus Association of Pharmacists, on which the issue of the schedule was resolved. Of the 518 members, 406 voted to maintain existing hours of work, rejecting any alternative proposals of the minister and their colleagues.
For the proposal to enter a free schedule and let pharmacies decide when to serve customers, only seven people spoke. The two sentences that sounded from the pharmacists themselves were also rejected by the majority. The free schedule, in addition to a small group of pharmacies owners, was also the Cyprus Federation of Patient Associations, but her opinion was not taken into account.
According to the law, in the winter months, pharmacies should work from 08:30 to 13:30 and from 15:00 to 18:30 on weekdays and from 08:30 to 13:00 to Saturdays. In the summer months, hours of work on weekdays change: from 08:30 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 19:30. Attendant pharmacies are required to work daily until 22:00 in the winter months and until 23:00 in summer, as well as serve urgent cases around the clock.
In June 2024, seven companies filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Health, demanding to cancel such strict framework for a pharmacy schedule. As arguments, they brought the hours of work of other outlets.
The current situation caused the discontent of the Cyprus Association of Pharmacists. The organization believes that this is how unfair competition is created between the pharmacies attendant and those that decided to work outside the schedule (for example, until 21:00). In September 2024, a professional association announced the readiness of pharmacies to stop duty during non -working hours, on weekends and holidays. This measure was discussed as a sign of protest against the current situation in the sector.
As a result, the court sided with the state and ordered all pharmacies within the borders of municipalities to observe the schedule established by law. The decision was made on September 19. Exactly a month later, the decision entered into force. The requirement applies only to the territory of 21 municipalities of the country. Profile institutions in rural areas are more free in choosing their working schedule. The pharmacies that previously served buyers on their own schedule were forced to adjust the hours of work.
The text is prepared based on the materials "Politis".
