On Wednesday, June 13th, the Health Committee concluded the debate on Book One of the Organic Code of Health (COS). The regulations will include, along with the National Health System, a National System of Inclusion and Social Equity that will ensure access to treatments and medicines for all Ecuadorian citizens alike. The Committee should consider two more books before approving its second report. The second Book (which includes the creation of a comprehensive cancer care plan) is going to be debated from this week on. The Executive Branch’s intention is that the bill be passed in September.

The second Book is going to be debated from this week on. In this Book, the bill proposes the creation of  a comprehensive cancer care plan, which involves the articulation between the public and private health sector and civil society organizations to plan the supply of health services to address oncological diseases. This plan includes a strategy for the early detection of cancer and the creation of a tumor registry. The bill also proposes an education program for children and teenagers with cancer so that they can continue their studies and avoid school drop-out because of their illness.

During the bill’s first Book debate, the creation of a National System of Inclusion and Social Equity was approved to stimulate equitable and inclusive access to medicines and health benefits, which will be complemented with the National Health System.

Legislators also accepted the creation of the National Health System Council, composed of public, private and academic institutions, whose function will be to create technical reports and coordinate and evaluate the implementation of public policies to improve health management and care.

This week, the Committee will begin debating the second COS book, before moving on to the third and last book, thus concluding its study of the bill. Once that stage is over, deputies will present their report in the National Assembly’s plenary session for its second and last debate.