The organization Patients Colombia, which brings together 200 patient groups throughout the country, rejected the recent statements of government officials about the health system situation. The group assured that the problems of shortage of medicines, closing hospital networks and delays in care do not correspond to “Inventions“as pointed out by the National Health Superintendent.
Denis Silva, spokesman for the movement, said that “The 16 million Colombians who live with some disease are being invisible under a speech that now bets only and exclusively for a preventive model without allocation of the system”
(Read: Medication expenditure reached $ 29.6 billion in 2024, the highest figure four years)
In his opinion, the commitment to strengthen prevention lacks financial support and leaves those who require permanent treatments.
The organization also questioned the proposal of the administrator of the resources of the Health System (ADRES) to create a Libranza Department to provide money to the institutions. Silva said that measure does not respond to structural needs. “Wouldn’t it be easier and more effective transferring the necessary resources to public hospitals to guarantee their efficiency and move them away from politicians?“, asked.
Patients Colombia denounced that there is no transparency about the management of direct turns to the hospital network. The group requested that the destination of resources be investigated judicially, both in the public and private sector, in order to prevent deviations that affect attention.
(See also: They warn risk of shortage due to a failed medication negotiation)
The organization denounced that the authorities described as “inventions” the complaints for lack of medicines, medical appointments and hospital networks.
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The movement rejected in particular the statements of the National Superintendent of Health, who pointed out that the complaints of the patients corresponded to “inventions.” For Silva, “pretending to dismiss complaints is a tragedy for users.” In that same line, He recalled that complaints about failures in the delivery of medicines, suspension of medical appointments and limitations in hospital networks have been repeated and have not received effective solutions.
In relation to the ads made in campaign on the supply of medicines at home, the organization assured that this promise continues without fulfilling, which generates a pending debt with patients who require permanent treatments.
Patients Colombia positively valued the decision of the Constitutional Court to reverse the intervention of the EPS Sanitas, which will allow its return to the former owners. According to Silva, Users received more timely attention before the entity went to state control.
(Read more: EPS in minced: assets in fall, upward liabilities and heritage increasingly negative)
The movement requested transparency in the Turos of ADRES and a broad debate on the current reforms to guarantee the protection of patients.
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Despite this progress, the group showed reservations against the preventive model promoted by the Government, considering that it is not supported by the necessary financing. The spokesman warned that “We express our deep concern for the two resolution drafts recently published by the Ministry of Health that continue to regulate the reform that is still being discussed in the Senate”
According to patients Colombia, These projects include substantial changes in the role of control agencies and in the enabling and operation mechanisms of the EPS, which could anticipate decisions before the legislative debate ends. “We call for any regulatory adjustment to undergo a broad, technical and democratic debate, in which the fundamental right to health and protection of patients is guaranteed,” said Silva.
The organization concluded that The Government must prioritize the attention of the millions of Colombians who live with chronic diseases and complex health conditions, guaranteeing transparency in the management of resources, financial sufficiency for the system and public policies that directly respond to the needs of citizenship.
(Read: Government assumes drug control the reduction after domain extinction process)
Diana K. Rodríguez T.
Portfolio journalist
