The Provincial Council of Huesca has approved a budget of €62.000 to guarantee the viability of pharmacies located in municipalities with fewer than 1.000 inhabitants.
In its commitment to ensuring equal access to basic services throughout the province and preventing the closure of essential businesses in smaller municipalities, the Huesca Provincial Council (DPH) has launched a key initiative to support the continued operation of 35 pharmacies in rural areas . These could include pharmacies in the Bajo/Baix Cinca region, specifically in Osso de Cinca, Ballobar, Candasnos, and Ontiñena . All of these pharmacies, in principle, meet the eligibility requirements for the aid, as they serve municipalities with fewer than 1.000 inhabitants.
The confirmation of this new line of aid was finalized in a recent meeting at the headquarters of the Provincial Council between Isaac Claver, president of the DPH, and representatives of the Official College of Pharmacists of Huesca, which served to address this and other issues related to the future of the pharmaceutical network in areas with low population density.
As those affected have stated on more than one occasion, maintaining pharmacies in small towns, such as those in the Bajo/Baix Cinca region, is a challenging task due to their precarious economic viability. Profit margins on medications are slim, and while over-the-counter products are not subject to restrictions, they do not generate significant income in communities that tend to prioritize other expenses, given their predominantly elderly population.
To address this situation, the Provincial Council of Huesca (DPH) will allocate up to €62.000 to an aid program for pharmacies located in municipalities with fewer than 1.000 inhabitants or those classified as having compromised economic viability (VEC). This requirement, therefore, is currently met by the pharmacies in Osso de Cinca, Ballobar, Candasnos, and Ontiñena.
By allocating this money in the form of aid (up to €1.500 per pharmacy) , the aim is to help cover the essential expenses that allow these pharmacies to continue serving their residents.
Thanks to this support, these pharmacies will be able to cover various expenses, such as the self-employed social security contributions of the pharmacy owner , the costs associated with electronic prescriptions, and other IT services provided by the Official College of Pharmacists of Huesca. Even VAT is an eligible expense under the special tax regime for pharmacies.
A firm step towards the sustainability of rural areas
This initiative by the Provincial Council of Huesca reinforces its commitment to rural communities, ensuring that their inhabitants continue to have access to essential pharmaceutical services in a context where it is not easy to keep certain services open, directly harming the cohesion of the territory and the possibility of attracting new residents.
