Martha Peralta, senator of the Historical Pact; Carolina Arbeláez, representative to the Chamber for Radical Change; Catherine Juvinao, representative to the House for the Green Party; Norma Hurtado, senator of the U party and Paloma Valencia, senator of the Democratic Center, debated on 'Vicky en SEMANA'.
They did so after the Government, through the Health Superintendence, intervened the Nueva EPS and Sanitas, while Congress sank his health reform. The national superintendent of Health, Luis Carlos Leal, announced on Wednesday night that “in the exercise of his functions of inspection, surveillance and control, today he has taken possession of the assets, assets and businesses of the New EPS.”
Leal stated that this decision seeks to “guarantee that health resources, first, reach where they should go. And second, that people's fundamental right to health is respected.” The official stated that after “identifying peculiarities and seeing with concern that the provision of health services to members of the New EPS could be dramatically affected, the decision was made to intervene, after an analysis within the Measures Committee. Specials of the National Health Superintendency.
According to him, there are similar reasons for intervening in the EPS Sanitas and Nueva EPSsince “neither of the two meets the qualified financial requirements to be able to exercise their functions, such as adequate assets and the special regime of technical reserves.”
These events were described as typical of a “dictator” by Arbeláez. “(…) It is unity that is going to save us. I believe that we must go out in front to defend the institutions, to defend democracy, Congress and the division of powers. Today, more than ever, mobilizations make a lot of sense. It is very important to tell people that they must go out and demand their rights and tell the president that we need him to listen to the entire other half of the country that did not vote for him. Unfortunately, this is a government where the president acts like a dictator”said Congresswoman Arbeláez.
In turn, Congresswoman Catherine Juvinao, also known as Cathy Juvinao, pointed out that she, for example, feels very disappointed in President Gustavo Petro, but urged not to blame those who voted for him.
“I do feel a little fooled, so to speak, because I believed the president. Furthermore, because of his promise not to form a Constituent Assembly. For his promise to respect institutions and the separation of powers. So those of us who say today that we voted for Petro, but are very sad with his management, is not because we are naive. The thing is, how do you deal with the politicians' promises if you vote for politicians because of what they promise the country? The claim is not for the citizens who believed Petro, the claim is for Petro for not fulfilling his own promises.”
According to Juvinao, the third legislature, which begins on July 20, constitutes an opportunity for Congress to demonstrate that it defends democracy in Colombia.
It should be noted that, according to the Government, Sanitas “failed to comply with equity and technical reserves indicators. Deficiencies were found in the provision of services and insufficiency in the network of providers that affected the coverage and access of its users to health services. The Government took possession of the assets and businesses of the EPS and appointed an auditor. In addition, it gave a piece of peace about the provision of health services to members.”.
“You can have absolute security and peace of mind that we will be very attentive so that you, the citizens who are affiliated with this EPS today, can continue to have services,” declared the Minister of Health, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo. The controversy is still open.