On July 17, the Colombian Ministry of Health closed a public consultation on a draft resolution on home care for cancer patients. The final version of the initiative will be published soon. The Salvadoran Ministry of Health also issued a series of technical guidelines on July 17 covering the implementation of telemedicine, including treatments for cancer patients. The measure is already in force. Finally, in Panama a bill creating a home medication program for people with chronic illnesses was presented to the Assembly for discussion by the Committee on Work and Health in the short term.

The measures adopted by the Colombian Health Ministry enable home care for cancer patients suspected of having COVID-19 or with a confirmed diagnosis of the disease. Patients living with people with COVID-19 are also included. This establishes the procedure and the measures to be applied in these cases to ensure access to treatments. 

For its part, the initiative published in El Salvador regulates a standardized mechanism for medical care, dispensing medications to those who need them, including people with chronic non-communicable diseases. Some of the procedures to be applied to cancer patients include: monitoring through telehealth platforms and, if risk factors are identified, they may be transferred to the nearest hospital for treatment.

In Panama, the bill presented by the deputy Génesis Arjona (Partido Cambio Democrático – opposition) has given rise to the “Home Medicines” Program to be applied by the Ministry of Health, among other institutions. The program will benefit people living with disabilities, minors with chronic diseases, and retirees and pensioners who will all be guaranteed access to free medication.