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Mayor and Governor lead call for greater EPS commitment

An energetic demand to the Health Promoting Companies (EPS) to assume a greater commitment in the midst of the health crisis due to the spread of the new coronavirus, was made by Governor Elsa Noguera and Mayor Jaime Pumarejo in conjunction with the medical associations- scientists from the Caribbean region.

The call by the heads of the department and the District was made after hearing the concerns of the medical associations about the delay of the EPS in the performance of tests, delivery of medicines and primary care, which is affecting the diagnosis and response of the system.

“A contagion detected in time can save 10 people. But the problem has not only been the lack of timely testing, null in some municipalities of the Atlantic, but in the neglect of patients with chronic diseases and home care, “said the spokesmen of these associations in the articulated work table that took place at the headquarters of the District Mayor’s Office.

For Mayor Pumarejo, this situation becomes the starting point of a chain of mistakes that “is being fatal”: “If insurers do not have their patients on the radar and, therefore, do not pay due attention to it, complications are generated that even with ICU beds it will not be possible to resolve ”.

For this reason, the Mayor’s Office and the Interior confirmed that they are exercising permanent control through the Emergency Regulation Center. However, the leaders agreed that the resolution of these demands should be a natural response of the system.

Support for measures. At the meeting, medical professionals argued that the situation in June in the department is still critical due to the growth of the contagion curve.

However, they confirmed that “the actions taken are part of those defined for the management of this type of pandemic worldwide.”

Gustavo Romero, representative of the Atlantic Regional Pediatric Society, explained that the authorities’ measures have been implemented with “adequate and complete scientific support”.

“This is not a collaboration, but a moral obligation that we have as medical professionals,” said Romero.

For his part, Luis Barros, president of the Colombian Society of Nephrology, indicated that during the various meetings they have delivered their recommendations to improve patient care.

“It has been hard work for the management of the patients to be articulated and to avoid a massive contagion. No country in the world was prepared for an episode of this magnitude, “explained the medical specialist.

Erika Martínez, president of the Atlantic section of the Colombian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, said that medical associations have carried out prevention and education days for “citizens to have better health.”

In turn, Governor Elsa Noguera pointed out that the key to managing this crisis has been the sum of strength and allies, as indeed are the presidents and directors of the associations.

The unions also highlighted the strategy that the district administration has advanced to avoid an increase in mortality in the population over 60 years of age, and asked that actions be directed for pediatric patients, because the case fatality rate is higher.

Likewise, they supported the management of the medium and low complexity hospital expansion that has been carried out in the department with the Cari University Hospital and the Puerta de Oro medium complexity hospital.

Call to Supersalud

Senator Efraín Cepeda called on the Health Superintendence to carry out an investigation into EPS management in the Atlantic.

The congressman indicated that the delays of the EPS to diagnose and provide care would be related to the increase in deaths: “The deaths from COVID-19 per million inhabitants in Barranquilla and the Atlantic are 650% higher than the national average.”

In addition, Cepeda explained that the department – just in the report this Sunday – reported 74 deaths from this disease, corresponding to 45% of the national total.

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