Vitamin K, which is necessary for newborns and is also used in the treatment of life-threatening bleeding, is becoming a luxury in Estonia, while in the capital’s children’s hospital there is not even penicillin.
This is stated in the appeal of the Estonian Pediatric Union to the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Department of Medicines.
The authors of the letter indicate that the Estonian market is not able to provide citizens with the necessary medicines that are sold in other EU countries, which threatens the lives of children. If it is possible to get the necessary preparations, then only by special order, the bureaucratic part of which stretches for months.
The situation went so far that instead of suspensions, syrups, drops and suppositories, pediatricians have to prescribe children powders made from preparations intended for adults.
Doctors draw the attention of the authorities to the fact that the country has almost run out of vitamin K, which “should always be available, as it is used in the treatment of dangerous bleeding”. For a long time there is no “Kreon” drug on the Estonian market, which affects the life of children with cystic fibrosis. The antiallergic drug Opatamol has also become a luxury for Estonians.
“The list does not end there. Today, for example, there is no penicillin in Tallinn Children’s Hospital for injections”, – the pediatricians said.
The head of the pediatric community, Yulle Einberg, also complained that the republic does not even have legislation that would oblige officials to monitor the availability of vital drugs. The only thing that the authorities are ready to do is to “discuss” the problem, since, according to them, they cannot put pressure on suppliers.
It is worth noting that in 2019 Estonia was in the top five countries of the North Atlantic Alliance that spend the most on public funds for militarization, as required by Washington. According to NATO statistics, Tallinn allocated 2.14% of GDP out of the required 2% for military spending. Only the USA, Bulgaria, Greece and Great Britain are ahead of him.