The Colombian Association of Scientific Societies (ACSC), which brings together more than 23 medical and health professional associations, expressed its support for the alternative presentation of the Health Reform Project and requested the National Government to analyze it from a technical and legal perspective.
Agamemón Quintero, president of the ACSC, addressed a letter to representative Alfredo Mondragón and the Minister of Health, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, in which he invited them to review the content of the substitute project promoted by senators Norma Hurtado, Lorena Ríos and Ana Paola Agudelo.
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“I want to respectfully invite you to read what the alternative presentation for the Health Reform proposes, so that citizens are correctly informed and without bias what this initiative proposes, leaving aside unfounded narratives that only generate confusion”, expressed Quintero.
The union leader explained that, unlike the Government’s initiative, the alternative proposal “promotes the formalization of all health workers, embraces the standards that exist and requires compliance with workers in the sector, both public and private.”.
He added that it also contemplates the employment relationship in public institutions of those who have been under provisional contracts for years and that guarantees the exercise of union rights of human talent.
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The alternative proposal promotes the labor formalization of human talent in health and eliminates extraordinary powers from the President.
Cesar Melgarejo – Portfolio
According to Quintero, the paper under discussion maintains the current legal framework and eliminates the risks derived from granting extraordinary powers to the President of the Republic to create a special health regime. “Continuing as intended with the reform of the Government with the proposal to deliver special powers to the President is debatable, since the impact of constitutional, fundamental and legal rights must be reviewed, starting with article 150 of the Political Constitution“, held.
During his speech at the public hearing of the Seventh Senate Commission, Quintero insisted that said article should be removed from the government text because he considered it “unconstitutional”. In the letter he noted that “it was a success to eliminate those powers, maintaining the Social Rule of Law and doing things correctly and in accordance with the Political Constitution of Colombia.”
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Senators Norma Hurtado (Photo), Lorena Ríos and Ana Paola Agudelo are the speakers of the project supported by scientific societies.
Courtesy Norma Hurtado
The president of the ACSC thanked senators Norma Hurtado, Lorena Ríos and Ana Paola Agudelo, speakers of the alternative project, for accepting the technical proposals prepared by medical organizations. “It was only until the project reached the Seventh Committee of the Senate and thanks to these three senators that this technical work that arises from medical associations was taken into account.”, he indicated.
Quintero reiterated that the purpose of scientific societies is not to oppose change, but to guarantee that the transformations of the health system are carried out with criteria of sustainability, legality and respect for labor rights. “I am sure that you will be able to understand what the alternative presentation proposes for the benefit of health workers and the health of all Colombians.”, he concluded.
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DIANA K. RODRÍGUEZ T.
Portfolio Journalist
