On Thursday, March 22nd, the Minister of Health, Emilio Santelices, appeared before the Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to present the priorities of Sebastián Piñera’s administration. These will promote solidarity in health, such as the proposal for Drug Law II, which congressmen will try to pass during the first semester of 2018.
The Drug Law II is already under study in the Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. Its content includes:
- facilitating access to medicines;
- stimulating the purchase of health services at the Supply Center of the National System of Health Services (CENABAST);
- integrating international purchases; and
- allowing the sale in supermarkets.
The minister also indicated that a Cancer Law will be promoted, proposing the creation of a National Council that integrates scientists and academics to implement a national cancer policy. The initiative also creates a National Cancer Registry, strengthens the National Cancer Institute and installs two centers associated with hospitals in Antofagasta and Temuco.
Agreement with Senator Goic to promote the Cancer Law
On the other hand, Minister Santelices also received the visit of Senator Carolina Goic (Partido Democrata Cristiano, opposition) with whom they discussed various issues. The dialogue focused on cancer and the commitment to have a specific law in this regard. Both highlighted the spirit of cooperation to address the issue and promote the Cancer Law.
The legislator and former presidential candidate has personal experience in the subject: in 2012 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After a license of almost ten months to undergo chemotherapy, she resumed her legislative work in May 2013 with the commitment to promote specific reforms on cancer. “The personal experience is different when it’s your first person, it’s not the same to have someone tell you about it than live it. I met many sick people, and I have the tremendous opportunity to be in a space to take the voice of people who usually can not raise the issue of cancer, which is the second cause of death in our country. There has been progress in AUGE coverage (Universal Access Plan to Explicit Health Guarantees) and treatments that were previously impossible, but there is still a lot to do regarding timely diagnosis, cost of medicines; in Magallanes there are no specialists. Also in the private system you are tied to certain providers, who do not necessarily guarantee the best treatment”, she stressed on that occasion.