The health situation in Colombia continues to face increasing difficulties, especially in terms of access, inclusion and implementation of public policies. This is shown by the Health Inclusion Index, according to which 83% of Colombians claim to have encountered at least one barrier to accessing this type of services.
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The report, which analyzed 40 countries, is supported by the firm Haleon and developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and academics from University College London, shows that it is not only the barriers to access that are affecting health perception, but also the factors that do not allow attention.
In detail, the survey revealed that 70% of those evaluated highlighted that the main obstacle to accessing health services derives from the lack of available appointments. Faced with this, the organizations indicated that within the index, Colombia is the number one nation with this problem, while it occupies the number four position due to schedules that are inconvenient.
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However, one of the data that draws the most attention refers specifically to the availability of services. Faced with this, 72% of Colombians indicate that health services are available in their community, but when comparing opinion with access to these, 57% said that they could use them within 24 hours. This translates to a gap of 15 points.
For the authors of the report, Availability does not necessarily translate into accessibility, since Colombians have difficulty accessing it 24 hours a day. “That is why in terms of perception, Colombia occupies first place in barriers attributable to the lack of available appointments and fourth for inconvenient opening hours.”
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In general terms, Colombia ranks 26th of the 40 markets analyzed in the Health Inclusion Index, with a score in line with the world average, which is 63.4 points. In the case of the country, this data was estimated at 61.9 points.
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Now, another of the important points that stands out within the document is that although Colombia has maintained health policies, The results of its implementation have caused a decrease in the overall index score.
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The data shows that, for example, the country had a score of 67.8 in health policies, while implementation was at 54.6 points, which translates into a gap calculated at 13.2 points, which is slightly above upper-middle-income countries, but below the highest income nations.
This, they explain, is due to area 1, which refers to health in society, while the implementation coincides with the policy in areas 2 (inclusive health systems) and 3 (autonomy of people in communities). If the result of Colombia is analyzed with the highest income nations, it is possible to see that in the case of In Switzerland the gap is 16 points, in Canada 17.9, in Slovenia 17.9 and Japan 19.4 points.
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Similarly, according to the document, marginalized populations and people with chronic diseases are 1.4 times more likely to be denied care. In fact, 2 out of 5 members of these communities (37%) said they face these types of obstacles.
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According to Antonio Hernández Villareal, president of Haleon Colombia & Perú, for this phase of the index, “The study shows that the country has strong policies, but that it has various aspects to strengthen to enhance access and thus be able to work on greater inclusion in health”.
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Now, another of the factors why Colombia stands out compared to the other nations evaluated has to do with the availability of emergency health services, pharmacies and dentists. However, The report details that the widespread availability of some essential services continues to be a challenge.
Regarding this, 98% of those surveyed stated that they have a pharmacy in their community, followed by 89% who said they have emergencies and 89% who have dental services.
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“One of the main challenges facing Colombia is making health services more accessible, because availability does not mean accessibility. To guarantee people’s well-being, we must work on the main barriers that generate this gap and promote self-care, creating an ecosystem that guarantees the proper development of citizens’ capacities to make informed decisions.” says Hernández.
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Inclusion and information
In the case of access to health information, Colombia is ranked 11th, standing out compared to its peers with a score of 39.4, compared to the global average which is calculated at 31.4 points. In addition, the country’s population also recognizes that health professionals and the resources of the national health system provide reliable sources of information.
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“However, Colombians have difficulties relating to health systems and professionals, which could be preventing action and the empowerment of the information they have.“, they indicate.
For this reason, according to Economist Impact, health inclusion is the process of eliminating personal, social, cultural and political barriers that prevent individuals and communities from enjoying good physical and mental health.
They analyze that, taking into account that the Colombian population already has a solid base of knowledge about health, There is an opportunity to build on this foundation, creating tools and resources to take health literacy to the next level.
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“This relatively solid foundation can be capitalized on by giving the population the confidence to use that knowledge. This, in turn, could help alleviate an already overburdened healthcare system, which demonstrates the greatest lack of appointments globally. Special attention must be paid to the younger generations to obtain more long-term benefits that take root in Colombian society“, they concluded.
