The system of public health was struck during the López Obrador government by pandemic most serious in a century, but also due to erratic decisions of enormous social and economic cost – corruption included. Faced with this, specialists and academia already classify as poor the proposals offered in this field by the presidential campaigns of Claudia Sheinbaumstandard bearer of the ruling party, and Xochitl Galvez, of the opposition alliance. The initial diagnosis is that they do not understand that they do not understand.
A wide variety of expert voices, practicing doctors and health personnel in general; patient associations and even public officials in the sector, are making their way to raise the debate on how the current deep gap in access to a universal health systemquality and with larger budgets.
The consensus of these voices is that neither of the two candidates for the presidency is giving due consideration to the positions of their main health advisors, both with solid careers and known candor: David Kersenobich, on behalf of Sheinbaum, and Éctor Ramírez Barba , on the side of Gálvez. We will have to wait for a reaction from both if their name is used for a simulation.
The sense of alert that emerges in round tables, conferences and interviews does not have ideological motivations. It is based on official figures -Coneval, OECD, Treasury, among others-, according to which for more than a decade (between 2015 and 2024) the country experienced a setback, especially aggravated by the pandemic, which has plummeted to levels at the end of the last century indicators such as life expectancy, the national vaccination program, maternal death and care for catastrophic diseases – those that ruin a family's economy without the support of a public health system.
In these circumstances, the recent appointment as presidential advisor of Hugo López Gatell, responsible for managing the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused the greatest growth in mortality among OECD nations, should embarrass Palacio. The so-called “Doctor Death”, subordinate to the radical sector of the ruling party, also canceled the autonomy of Cofepris, whose officials have been forced to approve the entry of medicines of obscure origin.
The positions of Sheinbaum and Gálvez get stuck, again, in the discussion about whether Seguro Popular should be rescued. The first is subject – as in so many other issues – to the decision of López Obrador, who buried him in 2018. Gálvez says that he would replace him. But this instrument, which emerged 15 years ago -2008- was considered at the time as a palliative, and is no longer promoted as a solution for today. not even by its creator, Dr. Julio FrenkSecretary of Health during the government of Felipe Calderón.
A review in this space of the “República sana” program, by Dr. Sheinbaum, and the positions of engineer Gálvez, shows more coincidences than discrepancies. Both propose improving care at the basic level or advancing the use of technology – the second with more initiative than the first. Both say they would encourage the development of the pharmaceutical industry and strengthen the regulatory capabilities of the Ministry of Health. Claudia marginally alludes to the General Health Council, a key body in the governance of the sector, but marginalized by the current government. Xóchitl addresses the crisis due to cancer cases. But none recognizes the depth of the crisis or the regression suffered in this area.
The candidates will continue to owe us if they refuse to review, in essence, the tragedy of the sector, which began not with the pandemic, but since November 2019, with the creation of the ill-fated, corrupt and very expensive Institute of Health for Wellbeing, Insabi. .
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