The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, defended this Thursday the management of his Government in health matters and assured that in the country «there is no chaos in health», attributing the difficulties of the sector to the financial crisis of the Health Promoting Entities (EPS) and not to the system as such. «In Colombia there is no chaos in health, do not tell lies,» he said. The president also announced the activation of an email to receive reports on alleged acts of corruption in the sector and asked suppliers and citizens to report directly to his office. Petro made these statements in Bolívar Square in Bogotá, where he handed over more than 50 new ambulances, rejecting the criticisms of those who warn of a deterioration in the service. The head of state questioned the model established by Law 100 of 1993, promoted during the government of César Gaviria (1990-1994), and stated that since then «health has become a commodity» by prioritizing financial intermediation. The Colombian health system is going through a structural crisis denounced by patients, medical organizations, and social observers, characterized by a shortage of essential medicines, interruptions in treatments, and growing access barriers for affiliates. Complaints recently collected show that relatives of patients with high-cost diseases, even with authorized medical orders, cannot get the necessary medicines due to lack of supplies from EPS, especially from the country's largest one, Nueva EPS, which was taken over by the Government due to financial and administrative problems. The Ombudsman's Office and other entities have documented that complaints about lack of drug delivery, delays in specialized care, and other services have increased steadily in recent years, reflecting a «profound deterioration» in care. «The chaos is of the EPS, not of the health system,» insisted Petro, who assured that his Government will not allocate public resources to cover private debts of these entities and, in this sense, urged Congress to process a bill that makes owners of these companies patrimonially liable for pending obligations. The president also called for a national mobilization in March to support the health reform promoted by his Government, which must resume its legislative process in the coming weeks.
