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Within the framework of Cancer month, representatives from all parties today supported the bill called “TIME TO PREVENT”, presented by representative Claudia Mix, who could not attend the launch due to being convalescing from surgery.
The initiative aims to modify the first paragraph of article 66 bis of law 20,769 of the Labor Code, to allow workers to extend the days to attend mammography and prostate exams, as appropriate, or other Preventive Medicine (EMP) for the early detection of high-occurrence diseases, such as the Pap test, replacing the phrase “half a day’s leave, once a year” with the phrase “one day’s leave, twice a year.” anus “.
Law No. 20,769 in question was published on September 20, 2014 and article 66 bis granted permission to workers to undergo mammography, prostate exams and other preventive medicine benefits within the working day, providing that The time dedicated to these exams is considered worked for legal purposes.
However, the time allocated for such procedures is in practice insufficient and therefore, Deputy Mix’s proposal seeks to extend it.
Representative Marta González, member of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, said: “We have been talking about this project promoted by Representative Mix for a long time and it is something as simple as employers giving sufficient permission for women to get checked. preventively. In addition, we have another request, which we are also going to present to the government, that preventive examinations should begin earlier, because statistically they should begin at age 40, since the peak of breast cancer detection is between 45 and 55. years. We can’t continue to make women start screening at 50, because it’s too late. “We will continue to promote all these types of measures, because we are not doing something right,” she said.
For his part, Hernán Palma, doctor and deputy of the Health Commission, pointed out: “We know that there are approximately 240 breast cancer diagnoses per month and a detail, no minor and that few people consider, is that 1% of malignant tumors mammary glands occur in men. So I want to promote that men also check themselves. Any nodule should be a reason for consultation.
Cultural prejudices make man install a denialism in his head that prevents him from consulting in time, he explained.
Representative Marisela Santibáñez, who suffered the loss of her daughter due to this disease, highlighted that: «Despite the differences that one can suddenly have in life. To Claudia Mix, to the woman who today makes us all unite, of different political colors, different political parties. Tell him that here we are and here are also the values that accompany us, because this crosses all borders. Today I hug you Claudia Mix, and I thank you for this initiative.
Representative Ana María Bravo emphasized that: “We are making an effort and work from Congress, from the Chamber of Deputies, such as, for example, that bill that allows exemption from having a certificate, an application, a medical order. to do these exams. It is important to move forward with bills like the one that Representative Claudia Mix is promoting together with several of us who are here, because women are workers, women are caregivers and they have always been postponed and that is also one of the reasons why why exams are not taken early. We must provide all the tools and do true joint work with the Executive Branch, that is, with the Government and also from Congress, because we want the least number of lives of mothers and women to be lost, not only in our respective regions. , that the figures are also worrying, but also at the country level.
Meanwhile, deputy Francisca Bello referred to alarming statistical figures: «Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women; three women due to breast cancer and every three hours a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. The concern, of course, has to be transversal, that is why we are here with men and women, understanding the importance of early diagnosis to save lives today.
I take this opportunity to send an affectionate greeting to our colleague Claudia Mix, who is sick; We send you all the love. “She wanted to be with us today, but unfortunately she has not been able to attend due to health problems,” she concluded.
The mortality rate from breast cancer in Chile reached 8.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020, becoming the main cause of death among women in the country since then.
Maintaining a constant check-up promoted by work spaces or employers will significantly contribute to promoting a culture of disease prevention, which will also reduce the burden on the health system and the associated costs, the project states.
