Green health politicians are demanding steps from Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to counter the lack of medicines and treatment options for children.
The politicians around Janosch Dahmen, the health policy spokesman for the Greens in the Bundestag, are proposing that pharmacists should be allowed to produce the medicines they need to treat acute respiratory diseases independently and without a new prescription from the doctor treating them. The "Spiegel" reported on the "4-point crisis plan to improve the acute care of children".
Pharmacists should also be able to dispense alternative products without having to issue a new prescription, according to the Greens politicians. In addition, wholesalers are to be obliged to stock all medicines that are on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines.
The "needs-based health care of children" is currently "restricted to an alarming extent," according to "Spiegel" in the paper.
Structural reforms needed in the healthcare system
In order to relieve families in the current health crisis, parents should only have to present a certificate to the employer and the health insurance company from the fourth day of the child's illness - the certificate is currently due from the first day.
In order to combat the deteriorating supply situation, the politicians believe that structural reforms in the health system are necessary, "in particular a comprehensive hospital reform". With their proposals, they want to create temporary solutions.
In order to relieve children's hospitals, resident pediatricians should be freed from the existing budget restrictions and their services rendered should be remunerated according to the actual additional costs without deductions. In times of crisis, general practitioners and pediatricians should also be allowed to treat “unlimitedly and with full remuneration” by telemedicine, for example via video consultation.
Minister of Health Lauterbach wants to present a draft law in the coming week that is intended to ensure medical care for children.
