At a joint meeting today of the councillors of the South Moravian Region and the City of Brno, it was unanimously decided to support the operation of the 24-hour Dr. Max pharmacy on Bašty. The City of Brno and the region agreed to share the financing equally.
The city and the region are prepared to provide the pharmacy operator with a targeted subsidy of CZK 3.2 million, which will be used to ensure that the pharmacy can stay open through the most critical hours from midnight to 7 am. Each side will pay half of this amount.
“I am glad that the City of Brno will also join in supporting the non-stop pharmacy in Bašty,” said the South Moravian Governor, Jan Grolich. “It is a service that is used not only by Brno residents, but also by people from the entire region, often in situations where health is at stake and time plays a crucial role. I consider the joint action of the region and the city to be correct and fair. I will immediately begin negotiations with the pharmacy so that it can submit an application for a subsidy and stabilize night operations in the long term.”
“The non-stop pharmacy is an important part of the acute healthcare system,” added Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková. “It connects to emergency rooms and hospitals and helps people in situations where there is really nowhere else to go. The agreement with the region shows that we can act together and find specific solutions. Similarly, the region and the city are also jointly participating in ensuring a dental emergency service on weekdays, beyond the scope of payments from health insurance companies.”
The pharmacy on Bašty has long been the only non-stop pharmacy, not only in Brno, but in the entire South Moravian Region. In recent months, persistent media reports have warned that without systemic support from the public sector, its continuing operation is economically difficult to sustain.
Brno City Council and the South Moravian Region Council must now decide on the application and allocation of the subsidy, which could be reflected in the operation of the pharmacy in the spring.
The stated goal of the region and the city is to ensure that health and pharmacy services are maintained over the long term, and that residents can be sure that medicines are available, even at night, on weekends and holidays.
