Patient organizations affirmed that there is a humanitarian crisis in the health system in Colombia.
After the recent pronouncement of the Constitutional Court and the request he made directly to the Prosecutor’s Office already Attorney’s Office to investigate the “non-compliance” of the Minister of Health, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillounder orders to adjust the capitation payment unit (UPC)According to patient organizations, the country is going through one of the most critical moments in terms of health.
The spokesperson for high-cost patients, Nestor Alvarezhe demanded from the National Government immediately comply with court orders to avoid more preventable deaths.
“The Court’s decision once again save the lives of Colombiansafter a year marked by a humanitarian crisis in the health systemcharacterized by deaths, interruptions in treatment and systematic violations of the fundamental right to health“, said.
According to Álvarez, the high court obliges the Ministry of Health to carry out two central actions: respond immediately to the contempt incidentwith a period of 48 hours, and establish a urgent health care plan that allows us to face the structural crisis that affects millions of users.
“We know that, unfortunately, there is a high probability that the Government will not comply within the required times. Even so, the demand for a immediate plan is welcome, because it can allow save lives“said the patient representative, who recalled that civil society had already formed a crisis table to make visible the seriousness of the situation.
Álvarez also expressed deep concern about what he considers a deficit in the fulfillment of democratic mandates by the Executive.
“We are in a very critical moment. We expected the Government to comply, but today we have serious doubts that it will respect the court orders and act according to the democracy”, he stated.
The spokesperson was emphatic in rejecting what he described as the use of health as a tool of political confrontation.
“Health can no longer be used as a political weapon. It is a constitutional obligation of the State to guarantee it for all Colombians, without distinction,” he stressed.
The statements occur in a context in which the Constitutional Court has intensified its control over the healthcare systemwarning repeated breaches in terms of financing, sustainability and effective access to services, and transferring possible responsibilities to the control bodies.
From patient organizations, the call is clear: obey court orders, execute immediate measures and prioritize the life and dignity of citizensin a system that today faces a unprecedented pressure and whose effects fall mainly on the most vulnerable populations.
Source: Integrated Information System
