TRNC Pharmacists’ Union asks why 90,020 packs of an available medicine are being urgently purchased

The Turkish Cypriot Pharmacists’ Union has demanded an explanation for why 90,020 packs of a medicine for high blood pressure are being purchased under an urgent procedure in Northern Cyprus: the medicine is already available in pharmacies, while patients receive it at low cost through social insurance.

“90,020 packs… So what exactly is the urgency?” the organisation said in a statement. Pharmacists are asking for an explanation of how this quantity was calculated and whether existing stocks on the market were assessed before the purchase.

The union notes that many needs in TRNC healthcare remain unmet and is demanding a transparent explanation of why public money is being spent on a medicine that is freely available for sale. At the same time, pharmacists are being instructed to maintain supplies and continue working while decisions are being made that harm pharmacy services.

On the same day, CTP MP Filiz Besim also addressed the issue of medicine supplies. According to her, medicine tenders are not planned on time or properly; instead, expensive direct purchases are being made: the required medicine cannot be found in one location, while elsewhere medicines are written off after expiring because demand has not been properly calculated.

Besim pointed out that in 2026 the medicine tracking system in TRNC has still not become operational, while the Medicines and Pharmacy Department and public hospitals lack pharmacists — medicines are being dispensed by employees without specialised training. The MP said her party intends to establish guarantees for the supply of critical medicines in law and launch a system for tracking medicines from import to dispensing to the patient.