Alexandru Rafila talks about a very serious problem that has worried many Romanians in recent days, a problem that remains in people's attention during this period, the distribution of iodine pills involving family doctors.
Alexandru Rafila says that family doctors play an essential role in the distribution of potassium iodide pills, especially since half of their income is based on the number of patients they have, but that everything must be taken calmly in the absence of a nuclear incident .
"It is a matter that has been going on since June 23, when I signed a ministerial order that regulates the release of these potassium iodide pills based on medical prescription, so an activity that has begun. I am really curious if in this month and a half since the order was approved, the patients received prescriptions or recommendations.
I think that the addressability was very low, and in a complicated situation like the one generated by the war in Ukraine, I watch TV, I have no additional news, seeing that the situation in the area of some nuclear power plants is very strange and dangerous, it normal for a man responsible for the health of this country, according to the ministry, to urge people to go to the family doctor.
Planning can be done, it's not a matter that has to be solved in 24 hours, 45 days have already passed, and we made a repeated campaign that ran on all the television stations, I think also on the radio, regarding the administration of these pills which should not be done untimely. Their release does not coincide with administration, they are kept safely at home.
If there will be, we hope there won't be, but if there will be, it's good to already have these pills at home. The distribution process requires time, we are aware of this, that's why we preferred this option that was not conditioned by an interval of a few hours, because these pills must be administered within a maximum interval of 6 hours from the radioactive exposure.
I preferred a longer time, and each family doctor has a list of patients for which he receives an amount that represents the capitation for these patients, which is about 50% of a family doctor's income, and it is normal for doctors to have , in their turn, a responsibility, and to inform them, to plan them for the release of prescriptions for potassium iodide." A declared health Minister.
