Greek NGO, GIVMED, Donates Unused Medicines to Those in Need

In Greece, 34 million medicine boxes are thrown away each year. This is a problem because it is wasteful, harmful to the environment, and it contributes to a lack of access to medicine for vulnerable people.

GIVMED is a non-profit organization that has developed a technology-based model to help bridge the gap between people who have unused medicine and people who need it. GIVMED's software is used by a network of 182 NGOs across Greece, and it has distributed over 725,000 medicine boxes and health products with a total value of more than $5.8 million.

GIVMED also solicits donations from pharmaceutical companies and individuals. People are keen to contribute once they hear about this system, and GIVMED has started donating abroad to people in Ukraine and those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

However, GIVMED's director, Ioanna Koutava, says that GIVMED shouldn't have to exist at all. She believes that the government should do more to ensure that everyone has access to the medicine they need.