Mirjana Marinković-Lepić: Include health centers in the vaccine distribution chain

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The proposal to amend the Law on Medicines and Medical Devices is one of the things Mirjana Marinković-Lepić, a representative of Our Party in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, will advocate for its adoption.

"The proposal was submitted in the previous term by then-representative Maja Gasal Vražalica. I took it over in this term, otherwise it would have been withdrawn from the procedure, and I consider it extremely important. Unfortunately, we are only alerted to its importance during epidemics when they occur, as has been the case recently with measles," said Marinković-Lepić.

She adds that at the end of 2017, the circulation of vaccines was restricted in a way that public health institutions were prevented from procuring vaccines and their further distribution.

"The proposed amendments improve the existing legal solution in accordance with the principles relating to the protection of human health and economy. The path of vaccines to the final user would be shortened. Health centers would be included in their distribution system. This way, the risk of disrupting the cold chain, i.e., maintaining optimal temperature during the transport and storage of vaccines, is reduced, as well as the final costs of the immunization process," said Lepić.