The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Fernando Ruiz Gómez, took stock of what has been achieved in the face of the covid-19 pandemic in the last two years. According to the head of Portfolio, during that time it was demonstrated that the system works, which “responded efficiently and will come out even more robust” thanks to the great progress that was made in a short period of time.
“The Colombian health system must be defended. It proved, in the context of a pandemic, that Colombians responded with equity and balanced access. It was a big challenge, but we didn't have access difficulties like other countries. If you compare it, it worked,” Ruiz said.
In this regard, he explained what were the challenges faced by the Ministry during the pandemic. The head of Portfolio assured that there was progress on issues such as telemedicine, an area that went from one million monthly teleconsultations to almost seven million. “We have made a total of 160 million tele-services,” Ruiz explained, “We have to ensure that this is maintained in the future.”
With regard to EPS, the minister stressed that 14 EPS were liquidated during the government of Iván Duque. “The EPS that have been poorly serviced have been closed and those that remain have suitability,” Ruiz said, stressing that this was a pending task. In turn, he indicated that the challenge ahead is that the 10 million Colombians who entered new IPS receive better services and not feed the cycle of debts and bad care.
Regarding the Final Point Agreement, the minister explained that the commitment was to settle a debt of 7 trillion pesos, an amount that they have paid progressively and that by the end of the current government will be fulfilled.
“We received accounts of 11 billion pesos in arrears that had severely affected IPS and hospitals,” Ruiz said, arguing that it would really be 7.3 billion because the surplus corresponded to overdue accounts, that did not exist or were already paid. Currently, “we have paid $6.2 billion and before August we will close with $7.3,” said the official. That means saving the historical past of ten years in which the system and institutions were carrying brutal debts.”
Finally, the portfolio manager said that the biggest challenge facing the health system, despite what was achieved in the pandemic, is to achieve interoperability through technology.
“We proposed a law that implies that information flows between different institutions and citizens do not have to go around with their medical records, but that there can be continuous monitoring,” Ruiz said and confirmed that there is already progress in this regard. “Electronic reading was implemented and what it has to do with disclosing information within the EPS and IPS,” he said.
Mental health effects of the pandemic
In the balance sheet provided by the Ministry, the official stated that during the pandemic mental health problems became more evident and represent a task not in the short, but in the medium term.
One of them is the subject of mourning because “in Colombia 140,000 people have died since the pandemic began”. He also commented that people were affected by cases of domestic violence, labor changes that social distancing entailed and the breakdown of everyday life in general.
Ruiz Gomez indicated that issues related to anxiety and depression have been increasing versus suicide. In turn, he noted that the Ministry of Health is working with the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) and the Ministry of Education on an important project to reveal and support the prevention of mental health problems in young people.
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