The health system in Colombia has been the epicenter of a deep debate. In fact, the Petro Government's attempts to reform it have divided the country.
Initially, the unsuccessful reform presented by former minister Carolina Corcho ended with her departure from the health portfolio. Later, the current minister Guillermo Jaramillo arrived to replace her, although she maintained the same mission. However, she now faces a vote of no confidence.
In the space, congressmen criticized Jaramillo's management and explained why – according to their criteria – he should not continue in office.
To begin with, Representative Cathy Juvinao stated that Minister Jaramillo has acted “recklessly and irresponsibly” with the health of teachersdespite the warnings that have been made from Congress, including the concepts of sector experts and academics.
The congresswoman from Alianza Verde also referred to Jaramillo's controversial audios: “It was clear that the minister himself knew that this model proposed by President Petro was unfeasible, unfeasible, impossible and that it was necessary to pay attention, nevertheless.”
“The message that Minister Jaramillo sent to the teachers and the country is that they are willing to sacrifice the health of thousands and thousands of Colombians – in this case 800,000 teachers and their families – in a deeply sectarian logic in what ideological, fundamentalist against the private sector (…), and what we are seeing today is an absolute collapse that I fear has no turning back (…). Let's hope they can adjust what is missing in the coming months because, if not, unfortunately, “What we are going to do is start to see teachers die because of this improvisation,” Juvinao expressed.
Finally, the representative warned that if President Petro “does not dare” to remove Jaramillo, “then let the Congress of the Republic remove him.”
“If this goes wrong, people will die”
Juvinao emphasized that, at this time, “they took the teachers as guinea pigs,” since the Government defined that the change in the health model for the teaching profession would function as a pilot and then extend it to the general public.
“We are seeing the tragedy of some officials who, even knowing that what President Petro is asking cannot be done, decide to listen. How is it possible that someone, knowing that they are going to implement a system that is going to fail, still implements it? What we are talking about here is that, if this goes wrong, people will die, teachers will die, for example cancer patients, and if they fail 15 days with chemotherapy, they will die,” he explained in the
“Aggressiveness and lack of respect from Minister Jaramillo”
Regarding the motion of censure and 'the last straw', representative Julia Miranda said that the relationship with the minister and his attitude during the discussion stage of the health reform influenced: “It was unacceptable.”
“His aggressiveness, his lack of respect with congressmen, with citizens. Furthermore, his intransigence and lack of listening to the experts led us to think that the minister was not really doing his best to bring about the best health reform that Colombians need. But what surpassed the cup was the decision they made in April – and which became a reality on May 1 – about applying without any time or transition formula a regime that made the teachers' health system fall into the void. That was unacceptable and the minister did not assume responsibility for the catastrophe,” said representative Miranda in the space of
