Silvio Parnis denies ‘distributing’ medicines at Labour clubs

Silvio Parnis is renowned for taking an active interest in his constituents’ particular demands, often filing parliamentary questions on their behalf, referring to problems they face when dealing with the public service.

But “personally distributing medicines” at Labour Party clubs was not on his to-do-list.

Asked by the PN media whether he could confirm that Parnis was personally distributing medicines at PL clubs, the minister for health said he had no such information.

The Labour MP himself has denied distributing any medicines, commenting that he “spent more time out on the streets than in the clubs”.

The fourth-district MP, also chairman of the government-appointed Consultative Council for the South of Malta, also challenged those making these allegations “to confront him personally”.

“It is our duty as MPs to help the constituents in the best way we can, guiding them to obtain what is rightfully theirs. Sometimes I do make pressure to see that this happens, something which at the end of the day is done by all MPs,” Parnis told MaltaToday.

Asked whether he ever helped patients get any medicines, Parnis said he “guides” them on how to make use of the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) scheme and also advises those patients to inform their doctor when they stop taking certain medicine.

He went on to add that he was there for the service of the electorate, whether Labourites or Nationalists.

“I was elected to be of service to the electorate, irrespective of the party they support. And this is reflected in the general election results.”

The POYC has been in the spotlight ever since the PN claimed favouritism in the distribution of medicines.