Since 2022 there has been a shortage of some medicines to treat diseases that are usually frequent among Colombians. In recent months, the situation has become more complicated and experts are asking for solutions.
In view of the above, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection issued a statement stating that “the Directorate of Medicines and Health Technologies of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in coordination with the Directorate of Medicines of the invite, They have been leading various initiatives to prevent a situation of shortages and/or shortages from violating the fundamental right to health“.
(You might be interested in: Supersalud will force the EPS to ensure a supply of medicines).
The ministry maintains a thesis that it has been bringing for several weeks, and that is that “For some years now, shortages or shortages of medicines have been a problem worldwide, which has worsened after the covid pandemic.“. Faced with this, some pharmacies consulted by Portfolio agree that it is true that the shortage of medicines is usually cyclical.
To which the ministry adds that “The Invima website has published the list of products for which shortage alerts have been submittedwith a summary of the analysis of each case, actions managed with the Ministry and the current supply status“.
(Read: Afidro proposes a technical debate on the shortage of medicines).
Faced with this panorama, the ministry affirms that initiatives have been led to prevent the situation from becoming complicated and affecting the fundamental right to health.
Additionally, they announced the execution of some work tables to propose other solutions to the shortage problem. One of the issues that arose at those tables and in other spaces was the delay in the procedures that Invima must carry out. As a solution, “a review was carried out within the Institute, identifying 48 active ingredients that were out of stock or at risk of being out of stock, with ongoing procedures at Invima“.
On the other hand, the former Minister of Health Fernando Ruiz said over the weekend in networks that “It is not surprising that the Ministry of Health and Social Protection issued a statement without a single figure saying that the situations of delays in the Invima procedures have been mostly resolved. Minister tell us what percentage have been results”.
To which he added that “the drug market situations are the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, Invima, how is it possible that in every month of this Government we do not have a single meeting of the National Commission on Drug Prices, how is it possible that we do not have a director of the Invima suitable and owned“.
Faced with the problem of shortages, Supersalud announced that next Wednesday the measures that the EPS must take to ensure the supply of medicines to patients will be known.
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