The Secretary of Health of Bogotá made a harsh statement on Friday morning through its Twitter account once morest the leaders of the indigenous communities settled since September 29 in the National Park.
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As they explain, the public health situation in that space is becoming more worrying and unsustainable every day. “The right to life, to peaceful coexistence and to good living that the indigenous peoples have taught us should question us regarding this particular case.”, they pointed out.
They explained that for April 27 a health day had been scheduled for the boys and girls of the community with the Pediatric Hospital of La Misericordia, in which they would receive comprehensive and specialized care, including the delivery of medicines, and that at the end of the day moment they were cancelled. “At 10:29 p.m. on April 26, the self-proclaimed Bakata Authorities reported that they had scheduled the arrival of a caravan and that all efforts would be focused on that activity, for which the health day should be canceled,” they denounced.
Spokespersons for the Emberá communities and the other 12 indigenous peoples who now live in the National Park, They responded that their intention is that the minors be cared for, but that due to logistical problems they might not accept the proposed date.
According to Jairo Montañez, leader of the Indigenous Authorities in Bakatá, they asked the Ministry of Health to postpone the date of said day for May 4 because they did not give them the deadlines to gather all the people.
“Since the call was made with such little time in advance, we mightn’t coordinate them all. We have people who are lifting the cambuches that have been damaged by the winter, other people who have not been able to be there due to work issues. Coordinating more than a thousand people is not easy, ”he indicated.
Montañez clarified that they have never refused these sessions and that the Ministry of Health had told them “That the call was for people affiliated with the health providers Salud Total”.
“Only until today they answered us by mail that the day was rescheduled,” said the indigenous leader.
1. On April 27, the health day scheduled with the Pediatric Hospital of Mercy, in which they would be treated in a comprehensive and specialized manner, including delivery of medications, was canceled for the children located in the National Park. 2/10
A.G.L.— District Health Secretariat (@SectorSalud) April 29, 2022
EL TIEMPO had access to the emails that both parties exchanged. In the first communication, dated April 22, an official from the Undersecretary of Public Health informs them regarding the day and adds that it aims to serve 74 children affiliated with the EPS Salud Total and a group.
As the Ministry of Health pointed out, the objective was to carry it out on April 27. On Tuesday, April 26, a leader of the unworthy community responded to the email. He accepted the invitation, but requested that the event be rescheduled for May 4, arguing that a humanitarian caravan with national and regional organizations would arrive in the city on that day. “Our efforts will be focused on that activity,” reads the communication.
Finally, both parties reached an agreement for said event to take place on Friday, May 6.
The health of minors
The Ministry of Health has stated that since the first day the indigenous people arrived at the National Park, they have provided a sustained and differentiated response to the indigenous population in three lines: permanent support team, permanent availability of the CRUE and ambulances and care sessions.
Figures provided by the District show that since October 14, 2021, 14 health days have been carried out, 1,840 attentions have been given, 139 people have been assessed and transferred by ambulances and 239 children and adolescents have been vaccinated. “Despite the permanent accompaniment of the Health Sector, situations have arisen that increase the vulnerability of the population and affect physical and mental health, especially of boys and girls,” they added.
“There have been two deaths: one due to systemic viral infection, as reported by Legal Medicine, and another case derived from a pathology of genetic origin. Also 14 withdrawals in attention and 7 parents who did not allow the transfer “, they denounced.
The entity refers to the concealment of children and other sick people, generating late identification of alerts and health care. “There is no information on pregnant women and on multiple occasions prenatal control has not been allowed. As a consequence: 4 out-of-hospital births. The life of the mother and the newborn is put at risk.
In addition, they pointed out that some medical missions have received threats and attacks.
“Our intention has always been that children and the elderly can access health services, especially for the most serious cases that we have identified. So what they say is not true. Why are we going to hide them, for what purpose. We have had cases of parents who prefer to be treated with other types of medicines faithful to our traditions”, concluded Montañez.
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