Colombia’s Constitutional Court established a special health commission to set parameters for the government to reform Colombia’s ailing healthcare system.
According to El Tiempo, the three judges that make up the Special Commission conducted a study on the defects in current healthcare provisions and issued a series of rulings on measures the Colombian government should take the repair the system.
Among the recommendations is a reform of the Obligatory Health Plan (POS), a list of medications and medical treatments to be covered by all healthcare providers in Colombia. In particular, the commission recommended that drugs, medical procedures and treatment for all patients with catastrophic illnesses be added to the POS.
“The lack of clarity about the contents of the POS and its out-of-datedness creates uncertainty among the public and hampers the effective enjoyment of the right to health,” determined the commission.
The Special Commission ruled that any inclusion or exclusion of medication or treatment on the POS should have a medical justification.
To effectively update the POS, according to the commission, the Colombian government needs to involve health institutions, medical organizations, scientific communities, affiliates and healthcare users.
The government also needs to set a deadline for meeting these goals, the commission ruled.