The covid-19 pandemic affected the lives of people around the world and health was an important field, in which it had clearer and more evident manifestations. There were others also from the field of health, but not so obvious. What do we mean? Health is the complete physical, mental and social well-being, therefore, it does not refer only to the presence of physical manifestations of disease but to the integral perception of it where the mental and social have an important weight, but less evident. This definition, which is recognized throughout the world, was very important during the pandemic. It not only affected us physically with the infection and death of many compatriots, because it also affected all of us, psychologically and socially, even if we did not become infected or suffer from covid. But, in addition to those who made them physically ill, if they managed to overcome it, it was not free for their mental and social health. So, the pandemic subsided and now the World Health Organization –WHO– has lifted the global emergency, as indicated in a PROFILE note on Saturday, but how are we doing? What do we have left?
The impact on mental health has already been pointed out, especially in childhood and adolescence, who seemed to have passed the pandemic without major physical problems. However, emotionally they had a great impact that was not registered in general, so clearly because the attention was focused on the sick and that aggravated the situation. Although from the point of view of health, the WHO made many calls not to neglect health care for essential services, such as all chronic diseases, types of cancer and sexual and reproductive health, but, in most of the countries this was not fulfilled, at least fully. This is how many pathologies worsened, including different types of cancer. In the field of sexual and reproductive health, pregnancies increased due to the interruption of the use of contraceptives. But in others, such as breast cancer, controls and even treatments, whether surgical, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, were suspended in many cases, with the consequent aggravation and complications. This also occurred in the case of women in other non-oncological pathologies, but equally important. In diabetes, a very common chronic disease in women that requires control, or arterial hypertension with the consequent complication of ACV –Cerebro Vascular Accident– in its different degrees of severity. To this we must add the mental health conditions, which also increased because the condition of insecurity and sadness for the affected relatives, as well as for the sick themselves, left their mark. Traces that depressive symptoms increased in women and children, which, for the most part, were not treated or given importance given the severity of the covid. The increase in cases of suicide and suicide attempts in adolescents, especially, are an example. The concentration on coronavirus care and the postponement of other health problems affected and continues to affect health, especially of women, children and adolescents. The social component was not minor and cannot be ignored. It was expressed fundamentally as the need for people to go out to work due to lack of income. But there were other problems such as family conflicts, both in couples and between other family members and work due to social health problems that often erupted after a long time because they are not immediate. Now, the accumulation of care added to the new ones affects the evolution of health, it is a problem that requires an urgent solution, which is more difficult to achieve in a fragmented health system like the country’s.