The Medicine Banks installed at regional healthcare centres have already supported over 200 people across the Region, thus meeting the purpose of their implementation.

The Medicine Bank of the Graciosa Healthcare Centre supports 65 patients.
Under this project, the Vila do Porto Healthcare Centre distributed 1,182 medicines in 2010 and the Praia da Vitória Healthcare Centre distributed 13,007 doses of medicines in a total amount of 4,136 Euros.

In turn, the medicines delivered at the Ponta Delgada Healthcare Centre have been distributed to the home care unit, supporting over 100 patients.
The Medicine Bank of the Santa Cruz da Graciosa Healthcare Centre received 92 prescriptions and in Povoação the medicines are being distributed among patients in outpatient treatment.

The Medicine Bank projects is already in operation at the healthcare centres of Madalena, Lajes and São Roque do Pico, providing support to nearly 50 people.
Antibiotics and tranquilisers are amongst the most dispensed drugs as well as drugs for asthma, diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, cholesterol and respiratory failure.

The list of eligible beneficiaries to the medicine banks is prepared in cooperation with the social security services.
 
“Seja solidário” (Be sympathetic) was the motto chosen for this initiative that has been promoted through a wave of solidarity which is being encouraged among the population.

In fact, citizens are encouraged to deliver the medicines they no longer use at the healthcare centres, which in turn distribute to the people who need them.
In order to stimulate the implementation of this project, the Government allocates a financial support to healthcare centres, which corresponds to the reimbursement amount of the medicines delivered.

The amounts awarded under this measure are exclusively addressed at projects intended to humanise healthcare, such as the sheltering of patients, the implementation of works, the acquisition of equipments and the training of health professionals.

This project started in the Azores in 1995 with the implementation of a Medicine Bank at the Praia da Vitória Healthcare Centre. In 2007, this initiative was reorganised in order to better respond to the needs of patients.