The Hellenic Initiative announces a new grant of $ 15.000 to the first network for utilization of leftover medicines towards helping socially vulnerable groups, GIVMED. Through its grant, THI continues to reinforce innovative organizations working towards solving significant issues that have been amplified during the crisis. Non-access to medicine is without a doubt one of the most alarming problems for the people of many vulnerable social groups.
This issue becomes even more pressing since 34 million boxes of drugs expire every year while 2,3 million Greeks live below the poverty line with many of them not able to cater for their pharmaceutical needs. GIVMED connects drugs donated by individuals, pharmaceutical companies or other organizations with social welfare institutions that are in shortage of them, through an easy to use internet platform.
GIVMED launched in late 2015; by a team of young students in Greece. By mapping the needs of social welfare institutions, GIVMED managed to connect the demand for specific medicines with the supply from individuals, as well as other welfare institutions and pharmaceutical companies.
The main goal of the organization is to make sure everyone has access to drugs while at the same time fewer of them are wasted because they expired. To this day, GIVMED has achieved significant progress towards this goal. Through the organization’s platform, 11.938 boxes of medicines, with a total monetary value of € 130.000, have reached people who needed them the most.
THI’s grant will help GIVMED create a digital map of needs for the 120 social pharmacies with which it cooperates. Additionally, it will improve its existing software solution while raising awareness about this particular problem it is solving for.
Michael Printzos, THI Director of Programming, stated: “We are very pleased for our new partnership. GIVMED is a typical example of a small team offering a really unique and innovative solution to a problem that affects the lives of many people in the country. THI has always stood side by side with organizations who embrace the belief that prevention is not enough, but that a change in our mentality is necessary in order to solve the complex issues we are facing”.
Thanasis Vratimos, Strategy & Operations Coordinator of GIVMED, stated: “The Hellenic Initiative is helping us expand our activities and provide more to our fellow citizens. The issue of non-access to medicine constitutes a tremendous problem for our country, at a time when most people let their leftover medicines expire. GIVMED serves as proof of how citizens of this new generation can use their knowledge and technological expertise solving for real societal challenges. From our side, what we do on a day to day basis fills us with satisfaction and gives us strength to continue”.
