The Secretary-General of the New Democracy parliamentary group, MP for Larissa, Maximos Charakopoulos, in the brief remarks he was invited to deliver at the anniversary event marking the 80th anniversary of the Larissa Pharmacists’ Cooperative (S.o.F.LA.) “Bond of Trust and Progress.”
The politician from Thessaly, who congratulated the President of S.o.F.LA, Petros Kafanelis, expressed his delight “at the organization, on this anniversary day, an interesting conference, featuring scientific discussions, with the participation of scientists, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry—which is flourishing in our country—and professionals in the field, pharmacists, whose value we have come to appreciate even more during the pandemic. It was then that we, as a society, understood even more clearly that pharmacists are not merely a link in the National Health System, who serve the public health interest by offering their scientific expertise, but are also a point of reference in local communities, valuable advisors to us all.”
Mr. Charakopoulos emphasized that “we are increasingly realizing the value of cooperation and healthy cooperatives. Larissa is not only the city of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, whom you, as members of the health sciences community, also serve. But it is also close to Ambelakia, the birthplace of cooperatives and the cooperative idea. Cooperatives, particularly in the agricultural sector, have suffered greatly in recent years, and we have witnessed their decline and contraction. We need strong cooperatives. You mentioned, Mr. President, the value of cooperation and collaboration. Cooperation, however, presupposes another “co-,” namely mutual understanding; this is a fundamental prerequisite.
On this occasion, I would like once again to thank your members and all pharmacists for the invaluable services they provide to the National Health System. It is widely acknowledged that great efforts have been made in recent years to upgrade health services in the country. I believe this is the largest program we have implemented in recent years since the establishment of the National Health System (ESY) for the renovation of hospitals and health centers across the country. It is an ongoing struggle. Obviously, problems still exist, but here we are in consultation and cooperation so that we can all contribute to resolving them.”
