We recently learned the results of a study by Aaron Reeves, a professor in the Department of Political and Social Intervention at the University of Oxford, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Public Health. In that study it is indicated that, as the privatization of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom increases, so does the avoidable mortality rate, “potentially caused by the deterioration of the quality of the health service.”
The report analyzes the impact of the privatization of services in 173 areas of UK health care between 2013 and 2020 and shows that manageable mortality rates, ie patients who would have survived if they had received early diagnosis and good care, stagnated and began to rise from the first year. having broken downwards, which had been preserved in the previous decade.
But this study seems to have little relevance to the president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, who has just put Andalusian public health on the agenda by publishing the BOJA, an order that opens the door in Andalusia to agreements with private companies in Primary Care, paying these. 65 companies are referred to the first consultation, 150 are referred to the special consultation, 90 are referred to the subsequent consultations and 215 are referred to the “high resolution” consultations. In addition, last year, millions of Andalusian patients were referred to private healthcare, five times more than budgeted.
At the same time, the data on the health of Andalusians, which is kept at the Juntas de Andalucia, is provided to companies in private. This information will be evaluated at no cost, which does not guarantee even private customers.
The PP does not care about the health of the people, it cares about the establishment of revenues. The health policy of the PP has always been business above all else
Nor Mrs. Ayuso, who is the spearhead of the deprivation of health in Spain, of the said Study. Madrid is the community with the lowest percentage of spending on Primary Care; together with the lowest per capita health expenditure; the penultimate number of doctors in primary care and the last in the supporting staff at this level of care. And also, one with the largest number of citizens across the country who are forced to take out private insurance: 40%.
The PP, both Juanma Moreno and Ayuso, as well as Feijóo himself, have always been very clear about the weakening of public health, so that the private sector does an extraordinary business with health funding. The PP does not care about the health of the people, it cares about the establishment of revenues. The health opinion of the PP has always been before all business.
This week we found some care in the national media, such as the fact that the Office of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor is investigating the Government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso for giving millions of money in uncontrolled Health; or this second, that the contract at the hand of the Andalusian Government Juanma Moreno with private clinics has reached 243 million dollars. The seriousness of both relationships makes it imperative that both the leaders of the PP can give all the reasons for the explanations as soon as possible.
But there is a third part of the information which also appears in the national media and which is a faithful reflection of the health of the PP. A baby born with a serious genetic disease in Malaga, spinal muscular atrophy; where two health experts propose a new gene therapy, which costs 1.9 million to treat it, but the Andalusian Ministry of Health was allowed two months ago. Finally, with the help of the family and the Patient Association, they escape, but the delay begins to have consequences for the baby.
After a severe pandemic, the PP has learned nothing. Nor is it yet to be committed to strengthening our public health system
Mr. Moreno Bonilla diverts hundreds of thousands of public money to private health, but when it comes to the health of a child, are you trying to hide the money for treatment? Is this the concern of Andalusia?
It is clear that economic resources allocated to privatization undermine public health and favor other interests. It would be desirable to place them in the public system, which would make it stronger and more efficient. But after the severe pandemic, the PP has learned nothing. There is still no commitment to strengthen our public health system, nor to increase the number of doctors or other personnel in health services. Feijóo, Ayuso, and Juanma Moreno, we decided that whoever had money to pay for it could pay; where health is business and not right.
Socialists defend a different model, a model of public, universal, affordable, quality and free healthcare. Where the safety of people does not depend on the checking system. Where you don’t play with people’s safety. Therefore, now that the elections are approaching, it is good and necessary to think.
