President Alvaro Uribe declared a Social Emergency in order to deal with the state of health care in Colombia.
“In order to save the aim of universal health care for our people, we have made the decision to declare a social emergency and put together the appropriate resources to save the financing of health care,” said Uribe.
He went on to say that to take on the crisis he will create a commission composed of the secretaries of the treasury and social protection, the director of national planning, and representatives of governors and mayors across the country.
The decision comes following a a statement from the Constitutional Court which underlined the need to update the Obligatory Health Plan to include new treatments developed in the past years and to attend those not currently included in the plan.
Uribe pointed out that the money needed to improve health care should come from taxes on products like alcohol and cigarettes.
“We’re going to honor our country so that good health care continues and not only reaches 41 million Colombians, as it is currently doing, but all 46 million,” assured Uribe.