Health U-Turns: Learning from Mexico and Colombia

Picture this: two nations, Colombia and Mexico, both making considerable changes to their healthcare systems. Mexico's leader, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, introduced a major change in 2019. This involved scrapping the progress made in 2003. He proposed a new, extensive health system plan for everyone. It did not stop there. It didn't turn out that way in Colombia. Gustavo Petro, he was a leader there. In 2023, he presented a similar plan. Alas, unlike Mexico, his reform didn't win approval from Colombia's lawmakers. The laws introduced in the 1990s continued. There are a couple of reasons why these two governments let these old issues resurface. One is that they believed in their ideology, and the old policies did not match it. The old health systems were not delivering the results that they wanted. It was not easy to change the law, so they had to be cautious about the laws they hoped to pass. These proposals were planned carefully, but did they get what they wanted? We aren't sure. It’s interesting to think about how this affected normal people. It brings the subject of healthcare closer to home for many.

Imagine trying to navigate these significant changes. For instance, it would be hard to know if nurses feel like they are part of the process. Politicians and government officials must always check for future consequences. After all, changing these health care systems at this magnitude, what will happen to the people who are already relying on these systems? It is not wise to rely on evidence for short-term solutions, you would want long term investments. To protect these changes, several things need to happen. Patient's information will be crucial. Each law should have long cycles of investment and evaluation. Many parts of society should be involved. In both countries, it is clear that political pressure and public perception play a huge role in these decisions. Politicians in these countries managed to change things. Some changes were successful, but not all. This should make us think about our own visions for healthcare. Both countries are still trying to figure out what works best for their people. The value of the health system is always on the rise.

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